Gate of Genesis
by WayneEntertainment
Summary: Following the departure of Dick Grayson, a prideful Batman struggles with once again working on his own. Meanwhile, a mysterious cult that cannibalizes its victims is attacking the elites of the city, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. But by refusing help, Batman will have more trouble than ever figuring out who is behind the cult, and putting a stop to it.
1. Gotham Surprises

AUTHOR NOTE: I apologize to those who have been following this story for my long absence. I was foolish to start posting chapters without actually finishing the story, thinking I could keep up twice a week with school and work. Good news is, I have learned from my mistake and the story is complete...however I will still be releasing chapters twice a week. You'll notice, if you've read before, that these new chapters are longer, and more refined. If you haven't read before, I hope you enjoy the story! I appreciate any and all feedback!

"Nothing surprises me anymore, Bullock." He sighed, fumbling in his pockets for his lighter. It was a crime scene, so it wasn't like he could smoke. But he was still comforted by the lighter's presence in his trench coat.

"You think it's connected to the Crowne murders, Commish'?"

"Is there any doubt?" The voice came from behind the two men, who both jumped and whirled around.

"What are you doing here? This is a crime scene!" The heavier man barked. His name was Harvey Bullock, and he was a detective with the Gotham City Police Department. He was a shorter man, heavy-set with thick stubble and wearing an askew hat. His hands were buried in the pockets of his trench coat, and a toothpick was hanging precariously from his mouth.

"Even after all this time, you still startle me when you do that." The other man said with a sigh of relief. There it was. The cold metal assaulted the palm of his hand as he clutched the lighter tightly. The older gentleman with the unfortunate smoking addiction was Jim Gordon, the Commissioner of the GCPD. Tall and stout, he had the posture of a military man but the countenance of a worn out cop. He was much more relaxed than his agitated detective, who was deeply bothered by the vigilante's presence. Gordon on the other hand, welcomed it. "I don't suppose you want us to tell you what happened?"

"Cannibalism." Batman stated confidently, stepping forward and unwrapping himself from his cape. "Same as the Crownes. Cut vertically from the jugular notch to the pelvis. Missing their right hands. All the flesh from their stomach areas torn off, with marks consistent of biting." It wasn't just conjecture, he stated it with a stoic matter-of-factness.

It was a grotesque crime scene. The victims were face down, lying on top of each other. Underneath them was a large pool of blood, still wet. The bedroom door looked like it was kicked open, the door knob hanging off. The crime scene was crawling with detectives and CSI. Batman would come back later, to perform his own investigation, when he wouldn't be disturbed.

"You're correct, as always." Gordon muttered, stepping forward, and crouching down near the male of the two victims.

"You could tell that just by looking at the bodies?" Bullock asked incredulously.

"No." Batman answered flatly. "I looked at the preliminary report you're holding."

Bullock scoffed and roughly brushed past Batman with his shoulder. He placed his hand on Gordon's shoulder, and jerked his back towards the Bat. "He shouldn't be here Commish, let me get rid of him."

"I'll send you the autopsy reports as soon as we have them. Anything else you need from us?" Gordon asked. They both turned to look at him, but he was already gone. As quickly as he had appeared, he had disappeared. Gordon couldn't help but chuckle. Happened every time.

Meanwhile, Batman was grappling through the chilly, smog-filled air, cutting through the Gotham night like a knife. To many, he was nothing more than an urban legend. But for those who had the unfortunate experience of meeting him, he was very much real. Their broken bones were often proof of that.

"Penny-one, find any immediate connections you can between the Crownes, and Diana and Joseph Parks." Batman said through the comm-link in his ear. The recipient on the other end was maybe his only friend, his oldest ally, and the closest thing he had to a guardian growing up after his parents' murders. Alfred Pennyworth was much more than his butler.

"You mean besides their enormous amounts of wealth, sir?" Alfred responded. "They belong to the same social circle. Do you think there's some deeper connection?"

"Yes, there has to be something else." Batman stated, rather sharply, and angrily.

There was a long silence. For a moment, he considered apologizing for his unnecessary aggression towards Alfred, but only for a moment. "Of course sir. I'll get back to you when I have something." Finally came the sound of Alfred's voice.

Batman hadn't had much sleep recently. Well, even less than usual anyway. It had now been three months since he had been without his ward, Dick Grayson, the former Robin. Tired of his disruptive entanglement with the Teen Titans, Batman dismissed him. Or maybe Dick left. It was a loud argument. He went by Nightwing now, and the neighboring city of Blüdhaven was his new home. Adjusting to once again doing things completely alone had taken a toll on the Dark Knight. He didn't imagine it would be this difficult of a transition, but it was for the best. Dick had been distracted, and growing increasingly more frustrated at being in Batman's shadow- especially after stepping into the leader role of the Titans so easily. Batman needed a lieutenant that was completely devoted to the cause. Furthermore, Gotham was dangerous, and despite their falling out, he still deeply cared for his adopted ward. After the brush with Joker that led to him getting shot, Batman realized how mortal his young sidekick was. They hadn't spoken since he left.

On top of now having to do things on his own, the Joker was still at large and he had no leads on the grisly murders of the Crownes, and now the Parks. There was no time to sleep. He had a lot of work to do. But while he was waiting on the police to clear out of the crime scene, he'd return to the cave, and see if he could access any security footage that may identify the suspect.

A click of the button on his utility belt, and moments later he could hear the rumble of his Batmobile, fast approaching. With each passing second, the sound grew louder. Fierce, loud and angry- like the Bat himself. When the Batmobile arrived, pulling up flush to the building, the top of the car opened below him, and already Batman could feel the tug of the magnets that helped guide him safely to the seat from these heights.

His machine was the perfect criminal-apprehending weapon, lined with lightweight, carbon fibre armored plates, run-flat tires made of steel, and a twin-turbo engine. Besides turbo boost, turrets and a rocket launcher, the vehicle was also equipped with a night-vision camera, a fire fighting system, and infrared smoke grenades.

Batman leaped down from the building, executing a perfect drop into the seat of his Batmobile. The top closed and the engine roared once again. With a shift of his gears, he was off. It was time to return home.

As he tore out of the city, his dashboard lit up, a name flashed on his monitor, indicating he had an incoming phone call: Linda Page. Linda was Bruce Wayne's girlfriend, who he had been neglecting as of late. It wasn't fair to Linda, but he had far more important things to worry about right now. He ignored the call, as his car activated it's cloaking mechanism, and pulled off road. The engines became muted, his lights turned off as his nightvision activated, and the wheels jutted out slightly for off roading. He vanished into the night, speeding through the wilderness outside of Gotham.

"Sir, Ms. Page ca-"

"I'm aware Alfred."

"Shouldn't you-"

"No. I'm returning to the cave." Batman pulled back on the gear stick, and gave enough gas to propel him through the waterfall that appeared in front of him. The landing was always rough, but the car stabilized quickly, and after several moments of speeding through the empty cavern, he arrived in the center of the cave, screeching to a halt.

"Welcome back Master Bruce." Alfred welcomed as Batman leaped from the car. "Shall I get you something to eat?"

"Computer: connect me to the security system of Pinkney Towers," Batman commanded, tossing off his cape and cowl. "No thank you Alfred."

"Really sir, when is the last time you ate?" Alfred asked, picking up the cape and cowl, and folding them in his arms.

Batman didn't answer. He sat in front of his computer, and began furiously typing away as the computer connected to the luxury condominiums network. There were several encryptions and firewalls he had to breach before he could access any footage. But one by one, he was bringing the walls down.

" _Vehicle approaching sector one."_ The computer alerted. One of the monitors flipped on, and showed a limo parking outside the gates. " _License analysis indicates the vehicle is owned by a Thomas Page."_

Batman scowled. No doubt it was Linda inside the limo, not her father who owned it. Blowing up his cell phone with texts wasn't enough? She actually drove here?

Linda was the daughter of oil tycoon Thomas Page, who got his start in Texas before moving to the east coast. Linda was an avid socialite by night, but by day worked under Leslie Thompkins as a volunteer nurse. It's one of the many things that drew Bruce to her, with Leslie actually introducing the two.

Besides being stunningly beautiful, she was immensely kind, and stimulated Bruce intellectually. Perhaps most importantly, she kept him connected to social circles that he would neglect if left to be Batman all the time. And as a bonus, Gotham loved them. They were every magazine's hottest couple. This didn't mean as much to him as it did for giving his mask of Bruce Wayne more credibility. But she wasn't just some superficial layer to help conceal his secret identity. He really did care for her.

"Computer, open the gates," He sighed, reluctantly. "Alfred, please meet Linda at the door, and tell her I'm not in."

"Sir, did you forget? I tried to tell you when you were driving back- tonight's the birthday of the Mayor's daughter. You agreed to accompany Ms. Page to the event last month."

Batman dropped his head. He _had_ promised that. Well, it was out of the question now. There was too much he had to do tonight.

"Give her one of the usual excuses. I don't have time tonight Alfred."

"Very well sir." Alfred retreated and soon exited the cave. Batman could follow him to the front door on various monitors, as he passed the security cameras throughout the manor. Batman tried to return breaking into the network, but some commotion from the front door monitor caught his eye.

A visibly agitated Linda Page, dressed in a gorgeous red dress, and black high heels, physically pushed past the overcome butler, and stormed into the foyer. He could tell by the movement of her lips that his name was just shouted.

Alfred snuck away from Linda, and moments later, returned to the cave, with Linda still in the foyer, arms crossed, and right foot tapping impatiently. That was another one of her personality traits he admired: her fire.

"Sir, she won't leave." Alfred heaved, slightly out of breath. "I told her you weren't feeling well, and hadn't left your bed all day. Oh, there she goes, starting up the stairs!"

"It's okay Alfred, I'll talk to her."

"Perhaps you should consider going. You've been so buried in your work this last couple of weeks, getting out might do you some good. And Bruce Wayne has certain responsibilities to this city too, as you know."

"There is too much to do Alfred."

"The police are going to be at that crime scene for at least another hour, and after that, the remaining evidence isn't going anywhere. In the meantime, I'll continue your work here at the computer, and alert you as soon as autopsy reports are filed on the Parks in the GCPD database."

Batman didn't say anything for several moments, but as Linda made it closer to his room, the pressure to make a decision mounted. "Fine." Batman finally resigned. "Go grab her, and I'll meet you both after I come up with something."

Alfred nodded his head and rushed off, using one of several pathways to cut Linda off.

"Ms. Page!" Alfred hollered after her, as she approached Bruce's room. "Ms. Page!" He reached out to grab her arm, but she had already pulled the bedroom door open. The bed was neatly made, the lights were off, and they were clearly caught in a lie.

"Where is he Alfred?" Linda growled, whirling around on him. "He's with another woman, isn't he?!"

Alfred was stammering for words, when he was rescued by Bruce, who had just made it up the stairs.

"What's all this commotion?" Bruce chuckled, clearly arriving just in time, wiping his hands on a pair of dirty jeans. He was wearing a white undershirt, and his face was smeared with car grease, a rag thrown over his shoulder. Linda looked like she was out for blood. "Sorry Alfred, I should've told you I went downstairs to work on the Koenigsegg. I'm feeling a lot better!"

"Oh." Alfred said quietly. "Well, very good Master Bruce. I'm glad to hear that. Ms. Page here was beginning to worry."

"Did you forget about the birthday celebration?!" Linda groaned in frustration, hitting him with her small, black purse.

Linda's red hair was as fiery as she was. It normally flowed to her shoulders, but tonight she had it up in a neat, braided crown. Her lips were a deep red, lipstick that matched her lips, and her eye shadow complemented her blue eyes. Her red dress was tight to her body, and opened at her back, and then again splitting at her ankles. Her heels brought her almost to Bruce's height, though she was normally to his shoulders.

"Honestly?" Bruce asked. scratching his head. "Yes, sorry. I haven't been feeling well the last couple days, and when I started feeling better, I wanted to get some fresh air. You know nothing clears my head like working on my cars." He smiled, grabbing her wrists and pulling her into him.

"The celebration starts in half an hour." Linda growled, twisting free of his grip.

"Don't worry," Bruce laughed. "We'll just be fashionably late. Alfred, get my best tux ready, would you? Linda, I'm about to take a shower, and you're welcome to join me." He winked.

"Oh yeah?" Linda asked, seemingly cooling down, and leaning in to inches away from his lips. Bruce went for a kiss but she pulled away, flaring up again. "You're lucky if I join you anywhere again! You better be downstairs in twenty!" She stormed off, pulling back the hair that had fallen in front of her face.

Bruce shared a look with Alfred, who sighed in relief, but looked equally amused. "I'll get your tux ready sir." He said softly, walking into his bedroom, and flipping on the light.

Exactly twenty minutes later, Bruce was walking down the stairs, tugging on each end of his bow tie, to make it tight.

"Just on time. Here," Linda spoke softly, walking up to him, and taking over control of his bow tie. "It was crooked." She patted him on the chest after straightening it up, and smiling brightly.

"Are your ready?" He asked, holding out his arm. She nodded, and linked arms with him. "Alfred, keep me updated on the...situation downtown."

"Of course sir." Alfred answered, opening the door for them. Bruce and Linda walked down the manor steps, where Linda's chauffeur was waiting with the limo door open.

"What's that about?" Linda asked, as she entered the limo.

"Oh, nothing. There's a mess in one of our properties downtown, and I just want to ensure it gets cleaned up properly." Bruce couldn't help but let his mind wander back to the crime. He had so many questions running through his mind. Who was behind the grotesque murders? How were two wealthy couples so easily targeted? And why did there seem to be such an apparent lack of evidence, linking them to any suspects? Or at least, that was the case in the murders of the Crownes. Maybe they would get lucky with the Parks.

"I appreciate you getting ready so quickly Bruce. I'm sorry you weren't feeling well. I accused you of being with another woman, can you believe that? I can't believe I acted so insecurely."

And the M.O wasn't consistent with any enemy Batman had faced before.

"Bruce?!"

"Wha-? Oh, I'm sorry Linda. What was that?"

"Ughh!" Linda groaned, turning away and looking toward the window.

"Linda, I'm sorry." Bruce said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "There's just a lot on my plate at the moment."

Not another word was spoken until they arrived at the gates of the Mayor's manor. Bruce rolled down the window and waved at the paparazzi shouting for him. Once the gate closed behind them, it was still quite a way to the manor itself. Privacy and security were a must for the mayor of Gotham.

When they arrived at the manor, the chauffeur let Bruce out, who then went around to open the door for Linda. As he held out his hand for her, a glint of something off in the trees caught his eyes. His eyes darted to the wooded area beyond the manor, but couldn't see anything.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Linda asked, as she took Bruce's hand, and stepped out of the car.

"No, I guess not." Bruce frowned, as they walked up the steps of the manor. Why did Bruce feel uneasy, all of a sudden?

Another couple was entering before them, and there was an armed guard posted on either side of the doors. From what Bruce understood, it was to be a pretty small affair. Only the city leaders, influential members of the city, and large campaign supporters would be in attendance. Admittedly, it was still rather large to celebrate a sixteen year old's birthday. This wasn't really for the daughter though. It was just an excuse to drum up more money from his supports leading into an election year.

"Bruce, Linda!" Mayor Skowcraft was at the door, greeting all his guests as they arrived. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"To be honest, I almost didn't." Bruce laughed shaking the mayor's hand.

"You're hilarious, Bruce. Please, help yourselves to some hors d'oeuvres. And the bartender tonight? He makes a mean Old Fashioned." The mayor was an older man, but tall and broad shouldered. He had a hair full of gray hair, and a thin, nicely-kept mustache.

"Thank you, Mayor." Linda replied, giving him a hug as they walked past.

"Oh, and Bruce? I'd like to speak to you about a project I have regarding the East End, if I'm re-elected."

"We'll be sure to speak this evening, Mayor." Bruce nodded. Skowcraft wasn't an ideal mayor, but he was definitely better than some of the past ones. He was a very passive mayor, who did a good job of not trying to upset anyone. Of course, this meant he wasn't very active in fighting the crime or corruption in Gotham, but he didn't get in the way of the GCPD, or more importantly Batman, either.

"Oh, there's Lincoln. I'm going to go say hi. Will you get me a drink? Chardonnay?" Linda asked, putting her hand on his shoulder before scurrying across the room. He was still in trouble with her, he knew it. But he was confident that he could fix it. It wasn't like this was the first time his nightly escapades have gotten him in trouble with Linda.

A waiter walked nearby carrying a tray of wine, and Bruce grabbed a glass of the white wine. He then went to the bar, and asked for a glass of ginger ale. As he turned around, he surveyed the foyer. While the stairs and several of the rooms were roped off, the dining room and foyer were left open, so large that they easily contained the hundred guests that were there. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the floors were tiles of charcoal gray marble. Looking around, it was hard to believe a public servant lived in a mansion such as this, complete with ten-foot double doors and sky lights. But that's what decades of corruption did for those in power.

"Shame what happened to the Parks. Weren't they going to be here tonight?" A gentleman who was sitting in the bar area asked his small group of compatriots.

"And so soon after what happened to the Crownes. I hear it was done in the same exact way. You don't think it's a serial killer, do you?"

"And serial killer that eats his victims? I certainly hope not. Eats their stomachs, you know."

"Enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore. You're making me sick." One of the women in the group said.

"Seriously though, it's scary. One of my employees works on the force at night. Texted me and told me that tonight, they found-"

"Excuse me, Bruce Wayne?" Came a voice that interrupted Bruce from eavesdropping.

"Yes?" Bruce answered sharply, annoyed that he just missed out on what could've been an important clue. He turned around to find the mayor's daughter, Chelsea, staring up at him.

"Oh my god!" The girl shrieked. "I can't believe you're here! I know you get this all the time, but you're like, the hottest."

Bruce produced a smile, though taken aback by her forwardness. "Well, I appreciate the compliment. And happy birthday."

"You don't mind if we take a selfie, do you?" She asked, already taking out her phone without waiting for permission. "Smile!" She held the phone out in front of them and took the picture.

Before Bruce could even say anything to the teenager, a loud bang echoed from outside. It sounded like sniper fire. "Get down!" Bruce grabbed the girl, dropping the drinks, and covering her with his arms. The rooms were immediately filled with panic, but just as the sound of a second bullet cracked through the air, windows began shattering as small, metal canisters bounced inside.

Chelsea screamed, covering her head, as Bruce led the pair through guests all yelling, and charging for the door. They were under attack. But Bruce didn't make it far, as the rooms began filling with a pale, green gas. He went to depress the trigger on his cuff link that would alert Alfred, letting him know he was in trouble, but a man knocked into Bruce, sending both him and Chelsea to the ground. The man had dropped to the ground too. In fact, one by one, all the guests were dropping to the ground. The gas was quickly entering Bruce's lungs, and he could feel himself fading. It was sleeping gas. He went to push himself up, but he couldn't find the strength. There was a large crash, as several men, dressed in gas masks and tactical gear, broke down the doors and stormed into the manor.

His arms collapsed under him as he tried to once again push himself up. He managed to finally press his cuff link, as the last of his consciousness faded. Was the mayor alright? Where was Linda? Those were the last thoughts he had before slipping completely into a deep sleep.


	2. Genesis

DA-KA-KA-KA-KA!

Bruce's eyes shot open as he was startled awake. He tried to move, but couldn't as his hands and feet were bound behind his back with some kind of rope. He could feel the coarseness of the twine digging into his wrists. He and the other guests were pushed against the walls of the foyer, almost shoulder to shoulder.

The loud sound that startled him awake was an automatic weapon being fired into the air, the man with the weapon standing menacingly near the stairs, the mayor dangling upside down from the balcony beside him. Bruce didn't bother struggling to break free, the binds were too secure.

Guards dressed in camo military gear and wearing ski masks were posted in front of the guests, stationed away from each other every 25 feet or so. The nearest one to Bruce was ten feet to his right. The man had the stature of a professional, trained and dangerous. He was holding an assault rifle, and had a knife holstered to his leg.

Chelsea was to his right, still unconscious, and Bruce searched wildly for Linda. When he found her, she was in a far corner of the room, trying to hold back tears, but failing to do so. She looked to him, and he returned her a comforting look, but that's when she started sobbing uncontrollably.

The man next to the mayor, presumably the ringleader, was like something out of a horror movie- or the darkest parts of Gotham. He was missing an ear, had no upper lip, and scars all across his face. He wasn't wearing any military gear, just a plain white robe that was covered in blood stains. The whole right side of his head- the side with the missing ear- was completely shaved of hair, the other half braided and going down to his torso. He was pushing the mayor back and forth like a child on a swing set, while Skowcraft was shouting for him to put him down.

Bruce knew he had to do something, but the first step was getting free of the rope. Behind him was a window, five feet above. What he was about to do next was going to hurt.

Rocking back and forth, he used the little momentum he gathered and the strength of his legs to stand up. The guard whirled around and Bruce braced himself for what was going to happen next. He took the butt-end of her rifle and went to knock Bruce on the head, but Bruce dodged, so it instead crashed into the window behind him, shattering the glass. The guard pulled it out, and like a bat, slammed him in the gut with it. Bruce slid down, coughing as Linda and several others screamed.

"SILENCE!" DA-KA-KA-KA-KA! The man yelled, firing his weapon into the air again.

This time, Chelsea woke up. "Whe-wha- Daddy? Daddy no!" She screamed, beginning to sob and scream as she pieced together what was happening around her.

Bruce fumbled around with his hands behind his back, trying to find a shard of glass from the window. When he did, he picked it up and began cutting at the rope, as the shard dug into the palm of his hand. He could feel his warm blood running down the piece of glass, cooled by its contact with the outside.

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and earth." The mutilated villain continued. His voice was deep, and echoed through the room, despite the slight lisp that was caused by missing a lip. "But God died long ago, didn't he?"

Bruce felt one of the cords break, but there were still several more to cut through.

"While you all drink and eat on the taxpayer's dime, in this home that seems more fit for a King than a public servant, the people of your city are out in the cold. They're freezing under park benches, and rotting in the alleyways."

He was almost free, just a little more sawing.

"Well tonight, that changes. No longer will the people in this room be comfortable with their excess, as mothers die trying to provide for their malnourished children. You've seen our work in the last couple weeks, but tonight we declare war. We are the Gates of Genesis, and starting tonight, none of you are safe."

He spun around and drew a knife from behind his back.

"No!" Bruce yelled, breaking the rest of his ropes and once again standing up, his feet still tied.

The man plunged the knife into the pelvis of Mayor Skowcraft, and pulled down on it as it sliced the body to the throat. There were screams and shouts, some people got sick and Chelsea began screaming louder than ever.

There was a loud shatter from above, as the lights in the manor all went out simultaneously.

"What is going on?!" The leader shouted angrily.

Alfred had sent for help, and it just arrived.

Bruce took the opportunity and cut the rope from his ankles, a task that was easier to do with free hands. He heard some guards shouting to the right, and gunfire. More screams.

She was going to get people killed, drawing gun fire in the dark! There was enough light for Bruce to see, as he was acclimated to the dark. As a nearby female guard ran to assist, Bruce stuck his leg out and tripped her, jumping onto her back and digging his knee into her back.

"Slide your weapon away." Batman growled. The guard did as instructed, and he heard the metal grind against the tile. He took her head, and slammed it into the ground, knocking her unconscious.

All the guards flipped on their flashlights, and for a brief moment, Batgirl could be spotted, before she dropped a smoke pellet, and disappeared as the guards fired into the smoke.

Sirens could be heard fast approaching. Either Barbara or Alfred called Gordon too.

"No, no, no!" Came the screaming and lisped protest of the leader. "We have to go. Now!" Immediately, guards began retreating up the stairs. Bruce could see the flashlights bobbing up the flight.

But he wasn't going anywhere. Bruce sprinted towards the voice and went to restrain him, but slipped in the pool of blood expanding on the floor, and the guard protecting the man punched him in the face, across the cheek. Bruce staggered back, but regained his balance as the guard pointed his weapon and flashlight at Bruce.

"No!" The leader barked. "Wayne's blood is too precious to waste on bullets."

Bruce took the hesitation from the guard as a way to return to the offensive, grabbing the hand guard of the gun and ripping the weapon from his hand, sending his free fist into the man's face. He could feel bones break. Not his own, but their cheek.

Still holding on to the hand guard, he threw the weapon down and grabbed the leader by the shoulders, slamming him into the railing of the stairs.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He yelled.

"That's some impressive strength Mr. Wayne," The man started calmly. "NOW LET ME GO!" He shouted, using the railings as support, to forcefully kick Bruce off, before using the weapon on the ground to hit Bruce over the head. "I am Genesis. And I am coming for you very soon, you greedy pig!"

Bruce was seeing stars, and was trying to gather his wits as Genesis kicked him in the stomach, before running up the stairs with the rest of the guards.

"Bruce, are you alright?" Batgirl came out of the darkness, helping him up. Batgirl wore an outfit loosely modeled after his own. Black instead of gray, and with dark gold accents, the only notable difference was that her red hair escaped from behind her cowl.

"Go home Batgirl, it isn't safe here." Bruce said, clutching the railing.

"Excuse me? I just saved you! You sent the distress call!"

"Police, everyone freeze!" The doors were kicked down, as police stormed into the room.

"You need to go." Bruce said. "I'll go after them." He started up the stairs after them, Batgirl not listening and running up the stairs with him.

All the doors upstairs were closed, except for one at the end of the hallway. As they sprinted into the room that faced the back of the property, they ran to the open window, but it was too late. A zip line had been set up, but Genesis cut it as he reached the ground, moments before Bruce and Batgirl made it to the window.

"I'm going to try and catch them." Barbara jumped out of the window, and glided towards the woods they disappeared into, before Bruce could protest.

"Freeze!" The lights in the room turned on, as two SWAT officers entered, guns pointing at Bruce.

"They escaped, out this window!" Bruce said, putting his hands up and turning around. "Batgirl was here. Batgirl!" He feigned amazement.

The officers escorted Bruce downstairs, where Linda was waiting for him, flying into his arms.

"Oh Bruce, I was so scared. Are you alright?" She sobbed.

"I'm fine, they didn't hurt me." He replied, brushing away the hair that was loose in front of her face.

"How could you do something so stupid?" Linda was now scolding through her tears. "Who do you think you are? Batman?"

"Mr. Wayne, are you hurt? Ms. Paige?" A GCPD detective approached them. It was Detective Charlie Fields. He was one of Gordon's, from the Major Crimes Unit.

"We're fine detective, thank you." Bruce responded.

"May I ask you two a few questions? I know you must be in shock, but I have to get your statements."

"Of course. Ask away."

While Bruce may have physically been present for the interview, with his arm wrapped around Linda, mentally he was not. He was too busy observing the calamity around him. Some of the guests were being treated for gunshot wounds, and forensics were combing the scene. The guard Bruce had knocked out was being escorted out the door, but it looked like the rest had gotten away with Genesis. The Mayor was being cut down, and his daughter was getting sick out front, a female officer patting her on the back.

Bruce had to get back to the cave, and stop Genesis before he could hurt anyone else.

"Detective, is my statement sufficient? I need to get going."

"What?" Linda asked, pushing herself off him.

"Of course. If you can think of anything else. please give me a call." Detective Fields handed them both a business card, tipped his hat, and went to the next couple.

"Linda, I'm sorry, I have to go."

"I heard you the first time. Where could you possibly need to be right now?" She stammered.

"Wayne Enterprises could be in danger right now. That lunatic escaped, and I need to let the Board know immediately. He singled me out, Linda."

"Bruce, I can't be alone right now." Linda began crying again. "I mean, I almost lost you because of your foolishness, and now you're just going to run off?"

"Linda, I know you're scared. But I have a-"

"...responsibility to your company, right. I've heard that before." Linda wiped her tears. "For once, I wish you felt a responsibility for me." She shrugged Bruce off, and stormed away to comfort Chelsea, who was back inside and looking as pale as a ghost.

Bruce knew his life as Batman was taking a toll on their relationship, it always did. And if he didn't fix it soon, there wouldn't be a relationship. But there was no time. Batman had never faced Genesis before. He knew nothing about him, which made him even more dangerous. Who knew how long before he struck again? Tonight was brazen, bold. He clearly had the resources to do a lot of harm, and he had to stop him.

Once Bruce was outside, he dialed Alfred on his cell phone.

"Oh thank heavens Master Bruce, are you alright?"

"When I asked for help, I didn't mean involve Barbara."

"I'm glad to hear you are just fine sir," Alfred said. "Am I to assume I should not send Ms. Gordon a thank you card then?"

"The man behind our cannibal murders attacked the mansion tonight, and murdered the mayor. He goes by the name Genesis." Bruce went on, ignoring him. "He put a target on everyone's back there tonight. I need a list of the attendees, and I need Lucius apprised of the situation. I seem to be a "special" target."

"Oh dear." Alfred muttered. "I'll send the Batwing to pick you up once you are in a secure location at once."

Bruce hung up and took a sharp right towards the woods, making sure there were no GCPD officers around. He stuck close to the manor until he was able to dart into the copses of trees, and once he was sufficiently submerged, he activated a homing beacon on his phone.

Not even ten minutes later, Batman was in the cave and suited up.

"I imagine your departure didn't sit very well with Ms. Page?" Alfred asked, as Batman sat down at the computer screens.

Silence.

"Alfred, what did you come up with on that security feed?"

"The video is ready to view sir." Alfred replied, punching a couple of keys and pulling up the window with the video.

"- investigators are still furiously trying to gather evidence at the scene. Witnesses claim the small militia that held them hostage also took credit for the slayings of the Crownes and the Parks."

"Thank you Jennifer. Now to City Hall, where Vicky Vale is on scene as Deputy Mayor Lieberman is being sworn in as the new, acting mayor. Vicky?"

"Todd, there is a lot of chaos at City Hall right now, as city officials scurry to-"

"I can't turn listen to the security video if that is on." Batman growled, as he turned the TV off, turning his attention to the recording.

Thanks to Alfred, Batman could view videos from the lobby, the hallway, and the elevator that opened up to their penthouse. And while he expected to see members of the same, polished militia that he saw at the mansion this night, the three people that entered the elevator from the lobby merely looked like a rag tag group of amateurs. Their clothing was plain, and they were wearing latex gloves and stocking over their heads. No uniform or military equipment.

As one of the suspects entered the elevator from the lobby, however, she pulled the stocking off her face. When she left the elevator to enter the penthouse, it was back on.

Batman rewound the video. "Computer, zoom in."

The picture was grainy, but there was definitely a moment when her face was in full view of the camera.

He rewound again. He had to stop it at the precise moment.

"Pause."

Too blurry. Rewind.

"Pause." Got it. "Computer, zoom in again."

It was too grainy to get a good look, but the computer could fix that.

"Computer, degrain and run facial recognition." While the program ran, he turned his attention to a different screen.

G-A-T-E-S O-F G-E-N-E-S-I-S. He entered into the computer. The program ran in his database and found no results. No former aliases, locations or terms came up.

"Computer, pull up the mugshots of any male released from Arkham Asylum or Blackgate within the last six months."

It took a moment, but the computer began flashing photos of his request. Many of the men he recognized, because he had put them there, but none looked like the man who called himself Genesis, even if his face hadn't been mutilated.

"Entering from sector beta, Barbara Gordon a.k.a Batgirl, recognized."

"They got away." Came a winded, female voice from behind Batman. He didn't peel his eyes from the screen."

"Ms. Gordon, welcome back." Alfred greeted. "It's been awhile since I've seen you in this cave."

"Thanks Alfred, it's great to feel welcome." Batgirl said, pulling off her mask. Behind the mask was the face of Jim Gordon's daughter, and no, he did not know about her extracurricular activities. Her eyes were a light blue, and her face was soft, like her mother's. "Guess that's why I've been absent these last few months."

"Batgirl, you're not needed here. Go home."

"Our mayor was just murdered by a gang of trained personnel with military-grade equipment, and I'm not needed?"

"It's too dangerous." Batman snapped, finally tearing away from the computer and looking at Barbara. "Gotham isn't the place for kids anymore."

"Uh, was it ever?" She retorted, crossing her arms. "And I'm not a kid!"

"You're young, you're inexperienced. Do you have any idea what would happen to your father if something happened to you?"

"I feel like we had this conversation when I started being Batgirl. It's not his decision, and it's not yours anymore either."

"I have no idea what this Gates of Genesis is capable of. They could seriously hurt, if not kill you. And if it's not them today, it's Penguin tomorrow. Or the Joker. I can't guarantee your safety."

"And I'm not asking you to! I have news for you: this city isn't any more dangerous since it was before he left."

"You're wrong."

"That's not what this is about. That's not what this is about at all."

"Enough."

"You're just using that as an excuse to justify pushing everyone away, just so you don't get hurt again, like he hurt you when he left!"

"Enough!" Batman sprang up from his chair. They were both angry now.

"What does he call himself these days? Nightwing? You're not the only one that loves him you know. Don't you think it hurt me too?" Barbara whispered coolly.

"Get out."

"Fine. You're on your own, just like you want it." She threw down something metallic at his feet. "But next time I save your ass, I hope you can take it better."

"Ms. Gordon!" Alfred pleaded.

She turned on her heels and stormed off, making that the second red-headed woman to burst off on Batman tonight. Like Linda, Barbara always spoke her mind, and was unapologetic for it. However, it took a certain kind of person to be able to look the Batman in the eye, and tell him off like she did.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that, sir." But Batman was sure she did. Was she right? Was that the real reason he was keeping her away?

He bent down to pick up what she had thrown down at him, to find that it was a piece of the zipline Genesis and his men had escaped with.

"Run this through the scanner, and tell me if we can't identify a manufacturer based on the material." Batman said, tossing the zipline to Alfred and heading to the Batmobile.

"And where are you going sir?"

"To go see Gordon."

"But the bat signal isn't…" Alfred stopped mid-sentence as he turned and looked at a tiny monitor that was flashing. Someone had turned on the batsignal.

Gordon had just finished lighting his cigarette, when Batman stepped from the shadows.

"The Gates of Genesis. What have you discovered?"

"I was hoping to ask you the same thing." Gordon asked. "Our perp broke free of his escort and threw himself in front of a car on his way into the GCPD. He's dead."

Silence.

"Luckily, he was in the IAFIS database. Name Jeremy Brewer, former U.S Marine. He spent the last few years as a custodian at Ace Chemicals. He recently lost his small home in a foreclosure, and his wife divorced him last year. Other than that, we don't know much. No criminal history or anything like that. Anything on your end?"

Again, silence. But this time it was because he was gone.

"Dammit. Why do I even bother?" Gordon asked, flipping off the bat signal and stomping out his cigarette.

"Penny-one, I'm heading to the crime scene from earlier tonight. Run the name Jeremy Brewer through the computer, and see if you can come up with anything." Batman spoke as he entered the batmobile. No one should be remaining at the crime scene now. He hadn't received the reports from Gordon yet, but he had assumed if there was anything of note they found, he would have just spoke of it. As he drove to the scene, he reviewed what he knew so far in his head.

Diana and Joseph Parks. Both in their late 40s, and both life long residents of Gotham. Joseph Parks was the CEO of Parks Global, a large investment banking and securities management firm based out of Gotham. They are survived by one son, who is now flying in from Central City. C.O.D appears to be exsanguination, meaning they survived being cut open, and were eaten alive before they bled out. At least, that's what happened to the Crownes.

Both Jonathan and Deborah Crowne were murdered in their penthouse last week. Too paranoid to have cameras in their suite, there was no definitive evidence to indicate there was more than one attacker, but there was definitely enough to make it a real possibility. Deborah was heir to the Crowne fortune, one of the first families in Gotham. Now, the fortune built on real estate will go to their three children, all who remain in Gotham.

And finally, Mayor Daniel Skowcraft. A mutilated man who calls himself Genesis attacked the mayor's mansion this evening, and executed the mayor in front of his guests, declaring war. There was no anthropophagy like the last two, but maybe that was only because Batgirl interrupted, and his men were trained soldiers, not civilian-dressed murderers. However, the manner in which he cut the mayor open was the same. Because the m.o was different, could Batman just be dealing with a dangerous copycat? While he couldn't rule out that possibility, his gut told him the murders were connected, and the Gates of Genesis was responsible for both. He was hoping the crime scene may be able to tell him more.

Batman entered the penthouse by grappling to the balcony, and picking the lock of the doors. When he entered, the smell of blood filled his nostrils. Despite the crime scene clean up crew already finishing, some smells were just too familiar for him to ignore. It always took him back to that night. The smell of gunpowder. The smell of blood.

"Sir, you should know," Came Alfred's voice through his comm link, that while the computer successfully degrained the face, there were no facial recognition matches in any database."

"Send the image to my cowl."

The image flashed across his eyes, revealing not a woman, but a young and unkempt man. Darker skin, maybe hispanic. He looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s, and had black hair and brown eyes. Nothing except a freckle under his right eye made him distinguishing. What interested Batman was that this man didn't appear in any databases, just like Jeremy Brewer. Why were these people with no priors or violent history committing such violent crimes?

Now, he was back to square one. He wasn't looking for any clues to tell him what happened. He didn't expect to find anything the GCPD wasn't competent enough to find in that regard. No, he was looking for something deeper. Why were they cut the way they were? The missing right hand, the vertical incision. Why the cannibalism? And was there anything he could find to give him more insight into the Gates of Genesis?

Batman walked over to the blood stains, and surveyed the area. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he'd know when he found it. He looked in their closet, checked under their bed and searched through their dressers. He found nothing out of the ordinary, just like with the Crownes.

He expanded his search. The bathroom, the living room and the kitchen. What connected them to Genesis? What connected them to the Crownes? He continued to have no luck until he entered the study. He had multiple filing cabinets, all which looked undisturbed, and bookshelves with books on finance. And like Bruce Wayne's own desk. it was messy and scattered with various papers and folders. However, a rather thick folder near the edge of the desk stood out to Batman. It was titled: Force Reduction Analysis and Recommendations.

Batman opened the folder and began flipping through the pages. Apparently, Parks Global was going through a bit of a rough time. The economy wasn't great, and thanks to a recent scandal involving their CFO, the company was struggling to retain its investors. To compensate, the company suggested to lay off 200 employees across the city. The profiles of all the employees slated for termination were listed, a dozen photos to a page. Batman kept flipping through the folder until finally, he caught his break. Staring up at him from one of the photos was the cannibal with the freckle under his eye.

"Alfred, give me the last known address of a Alejandro Barbatos."


	3. Prosperity

Alejandro felt invigorated. The rush...the excitement. And Genesis was right. He could feel their energy, coursing through his body as if it was his own. It didn't even bother him that he had just committed murder for the first time. He had no need to fear as long as Genesis guided him, and as long as his act would provide a better life for his unborn child. Prosperity. That's what Genesis promised, and he had no reason to doubt him now. For once since his layoff, he felt...empowered.

But as he entered his small, rundown apartment complex located in the epicenter of the Bowery, he couldn't help but feel something was amiss. "Mi amor, estoy en casa." There was silence. Why wasn't Mariana home? She wasn't supposed to be working this late.

"Mariana?"

"She's out." Came a voice behind him.

"Wha-who are-?" He whirled around, but a dark figure slammed him against the wall of his studio apartment. He screamed.

"I know what you did Alejandro." Batman growled through gritted teeth. "And unless you want to end up thrown through this wall, I suggest you start by telling me _why_."

"The Agent...ay dios mio...he said you might come for us…" He was trembling.

"Who!?" He slammed him against the wall again.

Alejandro began hyperventilating, his eyes rolled into his head, and he became limp. Batman hated when they fainted. Batman let him go, and he slid to the ground, unconscious. Batman considered taking him somewhere to interrogate him further, but a child afraid of the boogey man always runs, screaming for Mommy.

His wife would be awake soon, sedated by a mild tranquilizer and put in the bed. But Batman knew, eventually, once she woke him up, Alejandro would lead him straight to Genesis. He didn't normally like letting criminals go, especially murders, but he wanted to end this quickly. And that meant finding Genesis fast. He checked Alejandro's pockets for a wallet, and once he found it, slipped a tracker inside before returning it to his pocket. Now, he just had to wait.

It was about an hour before Alejandro ran from his small apartment like a rat. His wife watched him leave anxiously, as Batman surveyed the scene from above. Almost three in the morning, Batman had been getting stiff waiting. And it was bitterly cold. But then again, it was always cold in Gotham. Batman followed him from the rooftops, as he nervously walked the streets of the Bowery. It was a dangerous place to walk on foot, especially alone.

But once Alejandro was a couple blocks from his home, he pulled out a cell phone, and dialed someone. There was a brief conversation, and then more waiting. Alejandro just stood at the corner, his hands in his pockets, and his shoulders hunched. 10 minutes passed before finally, a car pulled up and Alejandro got in the back.

There appeared to be someone already in the passenger seat, and a big, burly man was in the driver seat. Could Genesis be in the car? Batman doubted it. Alejandro seemed to just be small fry. Once they drove away, Batman could no longer follow them from rooftop to rooftop. He pressed the same button on his utility belt, and his car pulled up below him, the magnetic system guiding him safely into the pilot seat.

He pulled up the tracker on his dashboard, and began following them by car. A flip of his thrusters, and he could catch up. But he wanted to be at a safe distance. If they knew they were being followed, they may not return to the hive...or somewhere that would hold more information.

Soon, they were out of the Bowery all together. Then they were through the Fashion District, and finally, they were outside of Gotham all together and heading toward the manors. But where Alfred would have normally taken a left, their vehicle took a right. The only manor in that direction was the abandoned Cobb Mansion. Could Genesis and his men really take refuge so close under his nose? It would make sense. Enough fighting through the wooded area, and you could make it there on foot from the mayor's manor.

Batgirl may not have even known the mansion existed. After all, it had been abandoned longer than she had been a vigilante. Three of four years ago, the last of the Cobb family was mysteriously murdered, and with no living kin remaining, the manor remained empty. Even the rich were superstitious, and no one wanted to live in a mansion where there was such a brutal slaying. Therefore, the place remained unpurchased. Both the parents and their two daughters were sliced open...in a way not unsimilar to the Crownes and Parks, and now Skowcraft now that he thought about it...

Batman's mind began racing. Could the murderer from back then be Genesis? The murderer was never caught. It had kept him and the GCPD up for weeks to no avail. He would have to review that case, and see if he could find a connection that didn't seem important at the time. Maybe his motive then could give him insight into what Genesis was up to now.

As the vehicle he was pursuing entered the gates to the manor, Batman pulled into the trees, and activated his cloaking mechanism.

"Alfred, I pursued Barbatos to the abandoned Cobb Mansion. I believe this is where I'll find Genesis, or at least information that will lead to who or where he is. Pull up the files of the Cobb murders for me while I'm inside."

"Of course. And sir, do be careful."

He waited roughly ten minutes, and exited the vehicle, jumping the fence and prowling up to the mansion. The mansion was overgrown with weeds and ivy. Some of the brick and windows were in poor shape, and parts of the fence were bent and broken. Batman was sure this was the kind of mansion children snuck to and dared each other to enter, which would explain some of the broken windows.

Once he was within distance of being able to use his grappling hook, he propelled himself into an open window on the top floor, in the east wing. What used to be a bedroom was now weather damaged, and covered in dust. He found it hard to believe that the mansion was still in use, but the car was packed out front, and admittedly, there were parts of his own mansion that he hadn't visited in years.

Batman pressed a button on his cowl, and used a mix of infrared, thermal and x-ray technology to briefly create a three-dimensional scan of his surrounding radius that flashed across his cowl's lenses. Several people seemed to be gathered on the bottom floor of the complex, in what seemed to be a cathedral. Quietly, Batman, made his way across the mansion and down several flights of stairs until he was on the story right above them. So far, he hadn't run into anyone, which made him uneasy. But it seemed the 15 to 20 people that were present were all downstairs. His radar hadn't picked anyone else up.

He did one last sweep of the hall, before sneaking into the room directly above them. It was a study, clearly in use, with papers strewn about the room, and books scattered across the desk. But despite its recent use, besides the desk, a single chair, and a bookshelf, there was no other furniture in the room.

There were holes in the floor, chunks of wood paneling that showed glimpses of the cathedral below. Batman activated an analog hearing device within his cowl, that utilized the same technology of a hearing aid...but much more precise. It not only allowed for a greater radius of amplification, but it also picked up frequencies that humans weren't able to pick up on their own.

"And you weren't followed?" It was definitely the sound of Genesis' voice. The lisp.

"No, we were careful." A heavier voice this time.

"I just woke up, and he was gone. The Agent."

"Then you weren't careful. For all we know, he could be here now. Why else would he let you go?" Genesis asked. "My children, prosperity will only come to those who are smart, who will do anything for it. There are those, like The Agent, who would keep what it yours away from you? And why?"

"To protect Gotham's status quo." Came a bunch of voices in unison.

"He may seem like this city's protector, but he wants you to starve just like the rest of them do. Who does he protect? The wealthy! He is their agent. Don't believe me? Where was his female companion when you were starving under a bridge last year, Alejandro?"

Batman understood now. It was a cult. And not just any cult, but a cult that preyed on the poor and vagrant. This wasn't the first time Batman had encountered a cult like this. It reminded him of the immortal zealot Deacon Blackfire. Like Blackfire, Genesis knows the desperate are more susceptible to brainwashing. But also like Blackfire, Genesis had to have a more sinister reason than just killing the wealthy. And maybe something in this room could tell him more.

He turned off the hearing device to better focus, and began sifting through the papers on the desk: a blueprint to the mayor's manor, addresses to welfare agencies and homeless shelters, and an invoice for Cobb Defence Technologies. Included on the invoice were ziplines, flash bangs, knockout gas and other equipment that shouldn't be on the streets. Everything on the desk was damning evidence, but it was evidence that only confirmed what he already knew. He wanted to know _why_. Was he really just waging a war on the wealthy? And if so, what did he have to gain? Was it revenge motivated?

Then, buried under a couple books, he did find something interesting. A blueprint of the Iceberg Lounge...the Penguin's roost. His next target was Cobblepot? Perhaps Cobblepot knew something he didn't.

Then, just as he was going to exit the room to put an end to Genesis and his murderous cult, a scrap of paper caught in the crack of a rotted floorboard caught his eye. He bent down to pull it out, careful not to tear it further, and looked at it closely. It appeared to be a piece of napkin, old and worn with a faded, graphite sketch of what looked to be a stone arch. Scrawled along the top of the arch was some language Batman didn't recognize; runes of some kind. And that could only mean one thing: Magic.

Batman was so distracted by the evidence, and with his hearing device off, didn't hear someone enter the room behind him as he slipped the napkin in his utility belt. As Batman stood up, he heard a creak behind him, and turned around just in time to keep a knife from going into his back. He held his attacker's wrist at bay, but before he could disarm him, the man charged forward with a yell, and brought Batman to the ground with his weight and force.

As the two hit the ground, there were several loud cracking noises as the floorboards under them gave way to the stress. They both fell down into the chapel, Batman barely managing to flip the pair, using his attacker to break his fall. The impact still sent a shock through Batman's body, which caused him to tumble off in agony. His attacker was unconscious, but now he was in the middle of the snake pit, disoriented and coughing from the dust.

Luckily, the floor falling out took everyone downstairs by surprise, and even knocked several to the ground, giving Batman a moment to gather his senses.

"I thought I heard something creeping around upstairs," Genesis coughed, standing up and brushing himself off. "Alejandro, Grant, I'm disappointed in you two."

"I'll make this up to you, Progenitor." Came the deep voice again. Large, like the last attacker, but fast. In an instant, he was in front of Batman and throwing a punch. Batman had to use both of his arms to block the strike, but threw a kick. Grant grabbed the kick, and twisted it to whirl Batman around. He then grabbed his cape and pulled Batman back, before striking him in the upper chest with his elbow, sending Batman into the ground. He had military training, Batman could tell. He was dangerous.

"Enough. Let me speak to The Agent." Genesis said, walking forward as Batman pushed himself off the ground."Don't get me wrong. You won't leave here alive, but I do want to know why you _choose_ to protect the corrupt and greedy."

"I'll stop you before you can end any more innocent lives." Batman growled.

"Innocent?!" Genesis laughed. "Do you know how many thousands of people go to bed hungry in this city, Batman? Meanwhile, men like Oswald Cobblepot and Bruce Wayne eat in excess thanks only to their blood. It's time their blood is shared with the rest of Gotham, so we may eat too."

"What are you really up to, Genesis?" Batman asked. "Killing men like Bruce Wayne doesn't accomplish anything other than murder."

"I know it may be hard to believe since you are surely funded by those same men, but you are wrong. Take Deborah Crowne for example. A powerful real estate company that buys up affordable apartment complexes, then raises the rent in the name of luxury, forcing families out into the streets who can no longer afford their own homes."

"What about your own wealth? Your resources, your weapons? Clearly, you have some of your own." Batman retorted.

"Wealth no longer appeals to me. For me, it is just a means to an end. I gladly share it with all who ask."

"Then what do you have to gain through these murders?" Batman pressed again. "Just simply retribution?"

"No. I told you already: their blood." Genesis almost whispered. "The Crowne bloodline holds their wealth. Now, their blood courses through my children's veins. That same prosperity will now be passed down through their own generations."

"You're a lunatic." Batman snarled, punching Genesis in the face.

Genesis stumbled backward, clutching his nose. "Kill him!" He yelled angrily, retreating behind men and women who stood to protect him. Of the fifteen in the room, only six stepped forward to surround Batman. Like Brewer and Grant, Batman assumed they were all veterans, or had some kind of fighting experience. The rest who stood to protect Genesis were probably powerless to fight, but none the less committed to their "Progenitor."

Of his six attackers, none were as big as Grant. But two had knives, and the one female assailant had a taser. The other two remaining men weren't large or built, but Batman knew better than to underestimate his opponent.

"I'll give you all one chance to go home." Batman warned, clenching his fists.

"You won't get in our way anymore!" Grant yelled, stomping forward with several swings. Batman evaded the first punch, the second, and when Grant came in with the third, he side stepped and jumped upward, crashing his knee into the chin of the behemoth, whose forward momentum had brought his face downward.

One of the attackers with the knife tried to attack from behind, but Batman heard him coming, whirling around in time to catch his wrist and break it, causing him to drop the knife in pain, He then punched the attacker in the ribs, and sent him flying into a row of pews with a kick.

Grant had shaken the blow off, and grabbed Batman by the cape again. He grabbed Batman's arms over his head, as another came and delivered a powerful punch to his face. Batman kicked the attacker back, and twisted his wrists free of Grant's powerful grasp. He turned around, struck Grant in the ears, and while Grant was recovering, he performed a basic judo throw, sending Grant crashing right into the attacker he had kicked away.

 _Zap._ Batman hadn't been aware enough. He lunged forward in pain as he felt the electricity course through him. Then he felt the hot pain of a knife, imbedding itself in his side. He yelled out, grabbing the man who stabbed him by the arm, and kneed him in the chest. As he was doubled-over, Batman brought his arm up, striking him in the chin with his palm. Four were now down, but Batman saw Grant stirring.

Every movement now hurt thanks to the knife wound, and he could feel the warm blood running down the inside of his suit. It was a good stab. He would have to end this quick.

The woman with the taser threw a flurry of kicks, which he managed to either block or evade. He went to counter, but she sidestepped and punched him at his injury. She wasn't military, but she had been training in shudokan for quite some time. Her kicks were powerful, and her punch was precise. Batman stumbled back as she lunged in to taze him again. He punched her under her extended arm, and kicked the taser out of her hand. More pain, more blood loss.

Then, he felt the heavy smash of a fist on his right shoulder, immediately dislocating it. It hurt tremendously, but it wasn't broken, and Batman could take it. Grant was a titan, back up and ready to fight again. Grant delivered a successful punch to the chest, and tackled Batman to the ground, his hands over his throat. With his right arm's shoulder dislocated, it wasn't much use to defend himself. To get Grant off, he would need to tranquilize the giant, and that would require his other arm. That meant 15 seconds before he lost consciousness, his neck completely undefended.

He worked his arm to his utility belt slowly, Grant's weight bearing down on him making everything more difficult. His shoulder, his side and his body being crushed. The pain was getting hard to bear. By the time he reached his belt, five seconds had passed. It was already becoming harder to concentrate.

His fingers glided along his belt until he found the proper compartment. He struggled to press the button, but when he did, the small, cylindrical syringe sprang out. He grabbed it and clenched it tight. 10 seconds, everything was starting to darken. He had to stay awake. He had to fight.

He wormed his arm back up the length of his body, and after making sure the syringe was ready to sedate, weaved it around Grant's left arm, and plunged the needle into his neck. Grant's eyes grew wide before his arms began to wobble, and almost immediately after, he was out. As he fell, Batman used his left arm to allow Grant to slide off him. Batman gasped for air, but couldn't stay on the ground. With two attackers left, he mustered the strength to spring to his feet. In the chaos, Genesis and the others had escaped. It was just Batman and these two now.

"Unbelievable." One of the men muttered, before charging forward and scooping one of the fallen knives off the ground. He swiped across and Batman dodged. He swiped again, and once more Batman evaded. But when he went to stab for the final time, that's when Batman countered. Grabbing the wrist and spinning him around with his good arm, Batman pulled him in, pinning the attacker against himself with the man's own arm. The knife was pointed toward the man's throat, and Batman used this to his advantage..

"Don't move." Batman commanded the last attacker, using the last of his energy to fein authority and strength. He was desperate, and he needed to end this. Using his right arm that was hanging down against his body, he used as little movement as possible to grab a pair of handcuffs from his belt, and toss it to the remaining man. Even with little movement, it hurt like hell.

"Cuff yourself, or the man slits his own throat." Batman barked.

"Y-you're bluffing. The Agent doesn't kill."

"I'm desperate. Is that a chance you want to take?" Batman growled.

There was a moment when no one did anything. Even his hostage had bated breath.

"A-alright. Just, take it easy." The man said, slowly grabbing the handcuffs, and shackling himself. Batman was no stranger to using excessive force or threats, but this was a new low for him. He was desperate. He had come unprepared and fought too sloppy- despite knowing what kind of men Genesis had at his disposal.

"BATMAN!" Came a shout from across the room. Genesis and his group of people had returned, all with semi-automatic weapons at the ready, and pointed straight at Batman. He definitely came unprepared. Acting swiftly, he threw his hostage forward and grabbed several flash pellets from his utility belt, throwing them across the room, just as Genesis shouted "DIE!"

The pellets began to explode, dazing the gun-wielders and Genesis. Without skipping a beat, he launched his grappling hook through the hole and into the ceiling above him, and propelled himself up just as several of them began regaining their senses and started firing.

He pushed the batmobile's remote, and pressed himself against the wall as bullets began shredding their way through the floor.

"GO, GO, GO! UPSTAIRS, UPSTAIRS!" Genesis shouted over the gunfire, as he and several others remained to shoot at the ceiling.

Batman watched from the window as his batmobile busted through the iron gates and roared through the unkempt lawn to his location. As he made his way to the window, he yelled in pain as a bullet tore into his leg. He didn't jump, but practically fell from the window above, the electromagnetic mechanism the only thing guiding him to the seat. By this point, he was barely conscious.

DAKAKAKAKAKAKA. Bullets began flying off the car, as the top shut itself with him safely inside. "T-the...m-m-manor…" Batman managed to make out, before completely slipping into darkness.

"I'm afraid breakfast may be rather difficult this morning, madam." Came Alfred's voice from the distance. "Yes, see… Master Wayne was attacked last night."

"Alfred…" Bruce whispered, waking up.

"Yes, he's quite alright. Just recovering. In fact, he's been asleep for some time, which is why you haven't been made aware."

"Alfred, it's alright."

"Master Bruce! Would you hold on Ms. Page?" Alfred set the cell phone down hurriedly. "How are you feeling?"

Bruce sat up slowly, feeling a sharp pain in his side. He snatched the cell phone, and held it to his ear. "Linda, can you be here for breakfast in 15?"

"Bruce, thank goodness you're alright! I was so worried. What happened?"

"I can explain over breakfast. Can you be here?"

"O-of course. I'm heading right over!" Linda said.

Bruce handed the phone back to Alfred, and laid back down, out of breath.

"Do you think that was wise, sir? You should be resting."

"I don't want to lose her Alfred. After last night… I need to...show a real effort."

"While I'm proud of you for admitting so, you're in no condition to do anything. You lost a lot of blood, and it took me over an hour to dig that bullet out of your leg. Luckily, I was able to pop your shoulder back in place rather effortlessly."

A trained combat medic for the British Royal Guard, Alfred was invaluable to Batman, and had saved his life one more than one occasion. Last night was no different.

"I think I can handle breakfast, Alfred." Bruce chuckled, sitting up, and spinning his legs off the table. He was in the Batcave, and it seemed that he was out for several hours. He grabbed a nearby cane, and limped to his computer.

"Did you send the GCPD to Genesis' location?"

"Yes sir." Alfred responded, grabbing Bruce's robe, and bringing it to him. "Unfortunately, they found no one. They seemed to clean the place out right after you left. I was able to piece together what had happened after your car made its way into the cave. The car is a bloody mess."

"In the study upstairs, there were blueprints to the mayor's manor, and the Iceberg Lounge. Did Gordon find those?"

"I'm afraid Gordon said after a sweep of the place, they found nothing of consequence. I wasn't exaggerating when I said they seemed to clean the place out."

"Dammit." Batman cursed. "I was foolish Alfred. I knew exactly what I was going up against, and still came unprepared. If I hadn't caught them as unprepared as I was…"

"Is that the only reason, sir?"

"What's that supposed to mean Alfred?" Bruce snapped, putting on the robe.

"I only mean that perhaps you are too accustomed to having someone watch your back. When Master Grayson-"

"I don't want to hear this lecture again Alfred. I was Batman before Robin, and I can be Batman after Robin. I don't need a partner."

"Beg my pardon sir, but even in the beginning you had help. James Gordon and Harvey Dent were invaluable to you during your crusade's infancy."

Bruce didn't say anything for several moments. "Maybe it's true that last night I was sloppy, that I didn't pay attention behind me enough...but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing so."

"I never meant to imply that you-"

"Gordon and Harvey weren't fighting next to me. The battles we won together were of law and order- not of fists. Now, let's hurry and have breakfast. I want to review those case files I had you dig up for me, and tonight I have to visit our favorite _aves_ friend."

10 minutes later, Bruce was sitting at his father's dining room table, going through his mail, when an envelope addressed from Zatanna Zatarra pulled him away from the junk mail, and donation solicitations.

 _Bruce,_

 _My magic show is going to be in Gotham all this week. I hope you can take the time to come visit this time. I haven't seen you the last couple of times I've been in town. Enclosed are two tickets. Bring that gorgeous red head of yours._

 _Love,_

 _Zee_

Given the sketch of that arch he found last night, the invitation was almost too perfect.

"Linda!" Bruce smiled, standing up, putting his weight on his crutch, and greeting her with a kiss as she walked in.

"Oh thank goodness you're alright." Linda said, giving him another kiss. "I wanted to come over here and yell at you for last night, but…what happened?"

Thinking quick on his feet was another of Alfred's talent. Thanks to Alfred, Bruce didn't even have to lie to Linda this time. Well, completely anyway.

"Genesis and a couple of his men ambushed me as I left Wayne Enterprises last night," Bruce said. "If it hadn't been for a couple of police officers who were down the street...I'd be dead. A bullet, and a stab wound." Bruce opened his robe, and showed her his bandaged side.

"Oh my…" She lightly touched the bandage, and gave him another kiss.

Bruce chuckled. "I told you, I'm fine. Now, let's eat." He smiled, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I feel just awful about having to leave you last night." He pulled out her chair for her, and hobbled over to his own.

"Well, I still haven't forgiven you. It's just hard to be mad at a boyfriend who almost got killed last night." Linda joked. "But when daddy heard what happened, he sent for me immediately. So, I wasn't without a shoulder to cry on."

"Egg benedict, grapefruit and bagels with cottage cheese." Alfred announced, as he entered the dining room with a large tray.

"Smells delicious, Alfred." Bruce smiled.

"Thank you, Alfred." Linda said graciously after he served her. He then served Bruce, poured them both a glass of orange juice, and left the room.

"He's amazing." Linda laughed, after biting into the egg benedict.

"One of a kind." Bruce agreed. "How's your work at the clinic going?"

"Well, it hasn't gotten easier...seeing the people that come into Park Row. But Leslie is wonderful, and makes it bearable. I've learned so much from her, and it feels great to do so much good."

"I need to make another donation soon." Bruce commented. Leslie was a great friend, and had done more for Bruce than he could ever repay her for. She hadn't just introduced Bruce and Linda. She was instrumental to his recovery following his parents' murders as a young boy. For many years of his life, she was almost like a surrogate mother to him. She was one of the kindest people he knew.

She opened the Park Row Clinic and ran it off of donations, and out of her own pocket. No one was denied care. Not even the homeless or criminal. And no one that used the clinic paid a dime out of pocket. All of her nurses, like Linda, were volunteer, and ran the clinic out of the goodness of their hearts. In a city of evil, the Park Row Clinic was a beacon of good.

"Do I need to come over there and feed you, like one of my patients?" Linda smirked. Bruce just laughed. "You know, we can end breakfast early and we can go upstairs. I can help you feel better."

"You know I would like nothing more, even with a literal stab wound…"

"But…" Linda groaned.

"But I have a lot I have to get done today."

Linda looked upset, but Bruce continued.

" _But_ what are your plans for this evening? I have two tickets to Zatanna, The Great at Gotham Theater tonight. I was hoping maybe we could go together."

Immediately, Linda brightened up. "Of course! I love magic!"

"Who doesn't?" Bruce chuckled. However, Batman hated magic.

"Something Genesis said bothers me, Alfred." Bruce remarked later in the cave.

"And what is that sir?"

"He said wealth no longer appealed to him. As if he once valued his wealth, which he clearly still retains given his resources."

"That reminds me sir, the analysis of that zipline came back. It's a product of-"

"Cobb Military Technologies. I saw a supply invoice last night. Cobb was a wealthy family, before they were murdered. Given his use of their weapons and their mansion, I wonder if there's a connection there. Their murderer was never caught." Bruce double clicked on a file extracted from the GCPD database, which he had asked Alfred to retrieve last night.

"There's another thing." Bruce continued. "He mentioned my name along with Oswald Cobblepot's. And he has a blueprint to Cobblepot's club. That probably means I'm a target as well. Call Lucius, and have him prepare security to be on high alert."

"Of course sir."

Four years ago in June, the Cobb family was massacred in their home, cut open in a fashion similar to the murders Gotham was experiencing today. Ruben Cobb, 52, his wife Paris, 45, and two daughters Karen, 21, and Kathy, 17. The Cobb name used to be as synonymous to Gotham as the Waynes, until the family began quickly dying out over generations. With their murders, the bloodline became extinct.

There were no signs of forced entry, and the Cobbs were killed in their sleep. Whoever killed them had been meticulous, wiping down all the surfaces he came into contact with- except one: the front door, most likely from when he was leaving. But a match to the prints was never found, and the case went cold.

What had perplexed Batman and the authorities then was how such a wealthy family with state of the art security systems was murdered without any alarms being triggered. One of the guest bedrooms had looked recently disturbed, suggesting the murderer was staying with them: someone they knew and trusted, and had knowledge of the security systems to wipe out camera footage.

Immediately, the butlers and attendants were suspects, but they were all cleared. And since none of them stayed at the mansion over night, none had knowledge of who could've stayed with them that night. For such a brutal series of murders, it was perfect. But even reviewing the case now, he had nothing to suggest it was Genesis. Unless…

"Alfred. Did you find any prints on that zipline?"

"Only partial ones, and too many to conclusively run through the database."

"That's okay. Maybe we can get a partial match to this one here." Bruce said, referencing the file. He set the zipline up under a polilight, and began scanning the fingerprints.

10 minutes later, the computer began cross referencing the various prints, and almost immediately, he had a match.

"I knew it. I'm willing to bet the matching print belongs to Genesis. And while I'm still unsure of their connection, I know he murdered them."

"Where did he disappear to for four years? Is it safe to say he has returned to Gotham to finish what he started?" Alfred asked.

"I'm not sure, but I'm hoping to get more insight tonight from Zatanna. I found something last night that leads me to believe magic may be involved."

"Oh no. Not the 'm' word." Alfred moaned sarcastically. Alfred knew how much he hated magic.

The other thing Bruce didn't understand was why he was a target. Was it simply because of his money? Was it a personal vendetta? Or was it due to some perceived injustice by Genesis, like with the Parks? Or the Crownes? However, their numerous foundations, and Bruce Wayne personally, gave millions each year to various philanthropies. Wayne Enterprises and their divisions had poured countless resources into improving Gotham, and providing for those who couldn't provide for themselves. Genesis' hatred of Bruce wasn't rational. Not that ration was something a psychopath understood.

If something was amiss in the company, as chairman, Bruce would know. Or his trusted confidant and CEO of the company, Lucius Fox, would inform him otherwise. But maybe there was something they both missed, so he pulled out his cell phone and gave Lucius a call.

"Good afternoon Bruce." Lucius answered, with his deep and confident voice.

"How are you Lucius?"

"I'm surprised you're calling. I imagine your nights must be quite busy these days."

"In what way?" Bruce chuckled.

"The life of a playboy, of course." Lucius answered slyly. In fact, Fox was one of the few who knew about Bruce Wayne's alter ego, even though he played coy. Fox was vital in often helping divert company resources to his nightly escapades.

"I'm calling about the man who attacked the mayor's manor last night. It would seem he is targeting not just the wealthy, but the wealthy who he deems guilty of committing some kind of social injustice. We haven't had to make any cut backs, or take part in any nasty acquisitions that weren't run by me, have we?"

"I can double check for you, but I can't think of any "social injustice" we're guilty of. Our ducks have always been in a row. I'm sure you'd have something to say about it if they weren't."

"Thank you, Lucius. If you can think of anything, let me know. Otherwise, just remember to say hello to Tanya and the kids for me."

I sure will. Be safe tonight." There was a pause. "Partying, of course."

"Of course. Goodbye Lucius."

Bruce returned the phone to his pocket, and turned to Alfred with a look of discontent.

"We just need to be on guard for whatever this mad man throws at us."


	4. The Gate

AUTHOR NOTE: (I repeat this note, because the first part of this chapter is where I left off last time) I apologize to those who have been following this story for my long absence. I was foolish to start posting chapters without actually finishing the story, thinking I could keep up twice a week with school and work. Good news is, I have learned from my mistake and the story is complete...however I will still be releasing chapters twice a week. You'll notice, if you've read before, that these new chapters are longer, and more refined. If you haven't read before, I hope you enjoy the story! I appreciate any and all feedback!

"It feels good to be out of the house, father was driving me crazy." Linda remarked, cuddled up against Bruce's arm as they made their way to Gotham Theater.

Wanting to enjoy the evening weather before it got bitterly cold, Linda had their limo stop several blocks down so they could walk the rest of the way. It was, admittedly, good to be out of the cave, where he had spent most of the day going through Wayne Enterprise records, finding nothing as Lucius had said. Alfred helped him with some physical therapy, so he could get rid of the cane, and he trained until it was time to get ready for the magic show.

With so much to do, being stuck in the cave drove _him_ crazy. But besides Alfred lecturing him to not push his injuries too hard, he had reached a dead end on finding out everything he could about the Gates of Genesis. He had no more leads on their leader's identity, and he knew where they were going to strike next, making it a waiting game. Still, he had to get to the Penguin before Genesis did, or it would be a bloodbath. But he couldn't just walk into the Iceberg Lounge during broad daylight without being detected, because few wanted him dead more than Cobblepot. Immediately following the show, he would have to leave Linda and get back to work- an argument he knew was coming.

"Why is that?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know, that's what was so frustrating." Linda groaned. "You'd think a man going on vacation tomorrow would be more...pleasant. But whenever I'd ask him what was wrong, he'd go 'business stuff, you wouldn't understand.' He always says that kind of stuff." Linda gruffed her voice, trying to imitate her father.

"Well, hopefully everything is okay." Bruce replied, genuinely concerned. With Genesis and his cult on the loose, there was every reason to be worried when it came to business. " I would hate for him to go on vacation stressed about work. I know what's that like."

Before long. they were in front of the theater, adorned with flashing lights and posters advertising 'The Great Zatanna!' There was a long line of people all speaking excitedly about the show, but with his tickets, they were able to skip the line and go right in. Of course, that meant ignoring the patrons screaming the pairs' names, and asking for autographs.

His tickets were personally from Zatanna, so they were ushered to a roped off section, directly center to the stage. As the other seats filled in, the theater rose in volume steadier and steadier until after several minutes of waiting, the lights dimmed and the red curtains closed.

"Ladies, and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Thank you for coming to what will be a spectacular and magical night." A deep, booming announcer began to speak as lights danced across the stage and teased the curtains. "You know her: the Princess of the Occult, the Daughter of the Fantastic, the Mistress of Magic. Help me welcome: ZATANNA, THE GREAT!"

The crowd erupted in applause, standing to their feet as the curtains opened. But when the audience realized no one was on stage, the crowd began to quiet. Soon, it was hushed. The magic show had begun.

Nothing but a top hat, turned upside down, was present on stage.

"Here we go!" Linda whispered excitedly. Bruce nodded, but he didn't share the same level of excitement.

The hat began to move, and began sliding across the stage, until a white nose and whiskers appeared from underneath, wiggling furiously. Then, a snout and two ears, until the head of a white rabbit appeared. It shook the hat off it's body and hopped forward a couple steps. Then, as it was bounding away, a gloved hand reached from the hat, and began feeling the stage blindly.

The crowd gasped.

More and more of the arm appeared, until like the rabbit, a shoulder, a torso, a neck, and finally the gorgeous face of the goth magician.

"Get back here!" She shouted at the rabbit, dragging herself from the hat. The audience laughed and began to applaud as she pulled herself from the hat, scooped up the rabbit, and gave a bow.

Zatanna was as stunning as she was talented. With waist-long, flowing black hair, a gentle countenance and sapphire-blue eyes. She wore a white bodice and a black coattail jacket on the top, and fishnets along with knee-high boots on the bottom. With a black bowtie, top hat and white silk gloves, she had the look of a performer. Though, she often only lost the top hat when it was time to fight crime.

"Oh my goodness! How did she do that?" Linda shook Bruce's shoulder madly. And it hurt quite a bit, considering it was the same shoulder that was recently dislocated.

"Thank you, thank you. It is always so fun coming back to Gotham." Zatanna smiled, her eyes crossing path with Bruce's. "One of my fondest memories is walking home from school as a really young girl, when I saw a street performer juggling."

She flicked her wrists, and four metallic rings appeared seemingly out of thin air, two in each hand.

"I know what you're thinking, metallic rings, how original." She chuckled, as she began juggling them. "But see, what made this street performer memorable wasn't just the fact that he could juggle. He juggled with fire. _Sgnir fo erif_!" The metallic rings caught ablaze midair, inciting gasps from the audience. And despite the fire. she kept juggling them.

"And as he was juggling these balls of fire, all of a sudden, they disappeared. _Hsinav!"_ And just like that, the rings were gone. "I tugged on his sleeve and asked him where the bean bags went, and he just shrugged and held out his hand. I thought he was going to tell me, but I know now he was just asking for money."

The crowd laughed.

"He never told me, but as I was walking away disappointed, I heard something hit the ground. I turned around, and saw that a bean bag had fallen from his sleeve and hit the ground behind him. That day, I learned two things. One: men are horrible liars. And two: when magic is involved, nothing just ever vanishes. _Raeppaer!_ " And just like that, the rings returned, still ablaze, and she caught them mid air, linking one within the other.

Zatanna was a gifted performer, like her father. Her tongue and affinity for storytelling was as mesmerizing as her illusions themselves. Bruce had known Zatanna since they were both teenagers. He met her while training with her father, Zatara. They had remained good friends ever since.

Zatara was one of the most powerful magicians in existence, and taught her everything he knew. They both were skilled in the use of what they call backwards magic. Batman was never into learning magic himself, something his mind grounded in logic and science could never understand. But he did value the lessons he learned in illusion and escapology.

Each trick Zatanna performed was more grand than the last, and while Bruce remained unimpressed, the crowd- and Linda- grew more and more delighted with each passing moment. After half an hour, Zatanna bowed for an intermission, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"I'm going to go to the restroom. Want me to grab any popcorn or soda while I'm gone?" Bruce asked, standing from his seat.

"I'd love some popcorn!" Linda responded, standing up to stretch herself.

"Good job Zatanna. Make sure to hydrate!"

"Thanks Joe!" Zatanna responded, catching the water bottle her stage hand threw at her as she entered her dressing room. Something was weird. The lights were off, and she never turned her dressing room light off.

" _Ecnuonna flesrouy!"_ She commanded, outstretching her arm out into the darkness.

" _Bruce Wayne_." Bruce answered reluctantly, stepping from the corner of her dressing room. "You know I hate when you use your magic on me."

"Really Bruce? Were the theatrics necessary?" Zatanna smirked, outstretching her arms for a hug.

"Hello Zee." He responded, opening his arms to return the hug. "I was hoping you could answer something for me."

"Oh." Zatanna said flatly. "It's one of those visits. And here I was thinking you were here to catch up."

"There's a cult of cannibals murdering wealthy citizens out there." Bruce responded. "I think magic may be involved."

"Why's that?" Zatanna asked, sitting down at her vanity mirror.

"I found this." Bruce answered, pulling the faded sketch from his pocket. "It's some kind of arch with runic writing. I thought you could tell me what it was."

Zatanna playfully snatched the napkin from his hand, and gave it a look over. "Well, it's really faded…" She sighed. "But...oh my…"

"You know what it is?"

"It's the Gate of Genesis."

"What did you say?!" Bruce asked anxiously, stepping forward.

"The Gate of Genesis." Zatanna repeated slowly, giving him a quizzical look. "Dad told me about it once, but it's supposed to be a myth."

"The cult. They call themselves the _Gates_ of Genesis. And their leader has monickered himself Genesis. What does it do?"

"Well, according to legend, it brings the dead back to life. B-but it's nasty. Dark magic- blood magic."

Bruce remained silent for a moment. "How does it work?"

"Well, it's an ancient gate that used to be used as a portal to the afterlife. The runes written on top roughly translate to 'Back to the beginning.' Blood acts like a fuel that, with the proper ritual and enough blood, can open the gate. Because it was a portal to the land of souls, if you passed a body through it, the soul would return."

So Genesis did have an ulterior motive. He was trying to bring someone back to life, and was using his brainwashed puppets to help him.

"But Bruce, it never worked. Well, properly anyway. Not only was opening a gate between our world and the afterlife incredibly dangerous, it wasn't practical. Not only did you need a massive amount of _purified_ blood, but because the gate was thrown open, any soul nearby wanted to escape in the empty vessel. It's like poking a hole in a balloon- all the air tries to escape all at once. The vessel could rarely take it, and ended up a dangerous, unstable collection of energy. Energy that was often demonic. You need to stop this cult, before they get to that gate- if they haven't already."

"Don't worry, I will. Where can I find it?"

"It exists in another dimension. Obviously, it was too dangerous to use, so it was sealed away. But if this Genesis guy is after it, he's probably got a way of summoning it here."

So now Batman was dealing with magic. Nothing surprised him in Gotham anymore.

There was no longer anytime to waste. He had to find Genesis again, and stop him before he could access the gate. He turned around and headed for the door.

"So, I guess I won't be meeting the illustrious Ms. Paige after the show?" Zatanna murmured.

"Enjoy your time here in Gotham, Zee."

"Do you need any h-"

"No." Bruce closed the door behind him.

"It was nice seeing you, too!" She shouted after him, sheepishly.

On his return to Linda, he was thinking of what he would tell her now. Bruce could stay and finish the show, but who knew how close Genesis was to opening that portal? He would have to once again bail on her. He didn't have much time to ponder however, as his phone lit up with a distress call from the cave.

Stopping in his tracks, he answered the phone. "Alfred, what's wrong?!"

"Our cult has come for Bruce Wayne, sir. They've found a way to disable the security system around the perimeter, and are approaching the manor."

"Stay in the cave. And send the car." Bruce hung up, and gritted his teeth. He looked at the entrance to the theater, where a sea of people were crowding in back to their seats for the start of the show's second half. To make it to Linda and explain would waste precious time.

He ran for the exit while simultaneously dialing Linda.

"Bruce, where are you? The show is about to start! "

"Linda, stay where you are. They're at it again."

"What? Slow down, I can't understand you."

"That cult. They're attacking Wayne Manor. I have to meet with the police, make sure Alfred is alright."

At this point, he was running from the theater, looking for a place the Batmobile could discreetly pick him up.

"Oh my goodness...I'm on my way out. We'll-"

"No, stay where you are, it's not safe. I'll call you when things have settled down."

"But-"

"Sorry Linda." He hung up and ducked into a suitable alleyway. Impatiently, he waited for the car. Every second that passed was a second his father's home, and Alfred, were in danger. He tossed his suit jacket and dress shoes off, and unbuttoned his dress shirt. Underneath was most of his costume. He should've never attended the mayor's party without it, and he knew that when he was getting ready for the show that he wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

Then came the roar. There was a loud screech of tires, and the smell of burning asphalt filled his nostrils as it came to a sudden stop in front of him. Inside the car was his cape, cowl and utility belt. Those bastards were going to pay for violating his father's home.

Batman began racing to the manor, dodging cars and pedestrians alike as he cut through the streets that would take him to the outskirts of Gotham.

"I have some more bad news sir." Alfred appeared on the monitor of the car, looking calm and collected despite the intrusion. Years as a combat medic for the British Royal Guard helped him develop nerves of steel.

"I've already gotten quite a bit tonight, Alfred." Batman grunted.

"Yes, well, I do apologize." Alfred said dryly. He continued. "The GCPD just received reports that the Iceberg Lounge is under attack."

"Dammit. Where are _our_ intruders?" Batman asked.

"One of them is trying to bypass our security at the entrance. I'm not entirely sure why, given the attackers of the Crownes and the Parks were plain-clothed individuals, but the individuals attacking us match the description of those who assaulted the mayor's manor. There are six of them."

"He's clever." Batman growled. "He must have made a connection between Bruce Wayne and Batman, and expects Batman to deal with the small force at Wayne Manor, while he wages a large assault on Cobblepot."

"What are you going to do sir? I can handle the men he-"

"No." Batman interrupted. "I'm going to act swiftly."

Minutes later, Batman splashed through the waterfall and screeched to a halt in the cave. He jumped out of the car, fully dressed and ready to defend his home.

"Where are they now?" Batman asked, approaching Alfred who was sitting at the computer.

"They cut the power and got through the door moments ago, sir. Right now they're on their way upstairs."

"Once I leave the cave, put it in lock down. No one gets in our out until I've dealt with our intruders." Thankfully, the batcave had an independent power source, and was unaffected by the cut power. Alfred would be safe behind its security.

Batman left the cave through the grandfather clock, and started up the stairs.

"Where is he?" Shouted a familiar voice. Grant...from the Cobb mansion.

"Doesn't make sense. The personal calendar we hacked from his secretary made it seem like he'd be in tonight." Came another voice.

"Should've seen this coming," A female said. "It's a Saturday night, and this _is_ Bruce Wayne after all."

"The Progenitor is never wrong. He said Bruce Wayne would be here, so he must be hiding. Split up. We comb this whole mansion."

Batman smirked. Splitting up? In the dark? Where he had a home field advantage? It'd be too easy.

Batman ducked behind his great grandfather's bust, as the six individuals left his bedroom. They all had flashlights and semi automatic weapons. He only recognized Grant and the female shudokan practitioner. The other four were either new...or he just couldn't place them at the mayor's manor. Grant headed downstairs with two of the other men, while one man headed down toward the east wing, and another headed toward Batman in the direction of the west wing. The final man began opening doors, and entering the rooms along the hallway.

Batman was covered by the west side of the bust, and soon as the soldier passed him and exposed his back, Batman leapt out and wrapped his arm around the man's neck.

The man dropped his gun and tried to wrench down Batman's arm, immediately struggling for air, and trashing. But it didn't matter because Batman's grip was too strong, and in a matter of seconds, he was out.

"What the hell?!" Yelled a voice from behind Batman. It was the man checking the hallway rooms. Hindsight being 20-20, he should've taken him out first.

Batman whirled around, throwing three batarangs at the assailant. One pierced the back on his hand, and he dropped his gun, yelling in pain. Swiftly, Batman ran at him and punched him in the face with such force, the man slammed into the wall behind him, and slumped to the ground...also out.

Two were now taken care of, but now he had lost the element of surprise.

"What was that?" Footsteps from the east end began running in their direction.

Batman grappled to the banister of the third floor, and watched as Grant and the female ran upstairs and convened with the attacker who had been checking the east wing. The sixth was shortly behind Grant and the female.

The female kneeled down and pulled one of the batarangs that had embedded itself in a nearby door. "It's the Batman."

"The Progenitor thought this might happen," Grant scoffed. "Remember, the Agent gets taken too. Alive."

Taken _too_? They weren't there to kill Bruce Wayne, but kidnap him? That would explain the large number, and military gear...especially if they were counting on Batman arriving. It was still highly possible, however, that Genesis thought they were one and the same. But why change the M.O...why take him _alive_?

"No more splitting up, we travel in pairs. Dennis, you're with Angela. Howard, you're with me." Grant said. "He can't have gotten far. Howard and I will check up here. Angela and Dennis, go back downstairs...in case he jumped off the banister."

One thing about human nature..rarely does anyone think to look up.

Grant was big...and taking him down would not be able to be done with stealth. Not with someone at his six, anyway.

"Batman, where are you?" Angela shouted. DAKAKAKAKA! The gunfire pierced the silence like a summer thunderstorm, and the thuds of tearing sheetrock and shattering of china followed. Batman gritted his teeth as he watched one his mother's favorite vases shatter in the entrance hall. How dare they violate his home!

Once Grant and Howard were out of sight, Batman clung to the railing of the third floor, and dropped, catching himself on the railing of the second floor below, waiting until Angela and Dennis entered the parlor before dropping into the entrance hall.

"Look at all this pointless shit." Batman heard Dennis say, as he crept up to the entryway of the parlor, and peeked inside. Dennis had an antique bookend in his hand, made of bronze. "I could pay one month's rent with this."

"Shut up and focus. The Agent could be anywhere." Angela snapped.

Dennis tossed the bookend behind him, and kicked open the door that led behind the parlor's bar.

Angela's back was turned, but Dennis was in such a location, that he would see Batman as soon as he'd enter the room. Batman angled himself properly, using the west side of the entry way to keep him out of sight, and drew a batarang. For this to work, he'd have to fight Angela, but he could catch the other one by surprise.

He threw the batarang at a bottle of liquor, causing it to shatter behind Dennis. Dennis whirled around to confront the noise, exposing his back to Batman. Batman sprinted into the room and sprung over the bar, launching a kick square to Dennis' back. Dennis was propelled forward into the shelf of liquors, breaking the shelf and shattering most of the bottles, but as he stumbled backward, clutching his face in pain, Batman grabbed a fistful of his hair, and slammed his face into the bar.

"DON'T MOVE!" Angela yelled. "Or I shoot."

Batman let go of Dennis, who dropped to the floor, out cold. Angela had her weapon pointed at Batman, who played along for a moment.

"You won't shoot me. Genesis wants me alive."

"And if you do as I say, you'll stay that way." She retorted, grabbing a pair of handcuffs off her hip, and tossing them at him. "Cuff yourself, and slowly come over to me."

Batman picked up the cuffs, but tossed them back at her face, buying him enough time to dive under the bar. DAKAKAKAKAKA. More liquor bottles shattered, the smell more overpowering than already before.

"God dammit, I will kill you! Genesis may want you alive, but you are far too rotten to be allowed to live." Angela ran inside the door to shoot, but Batman sprang up from the floor, tackling her into the bookshelf on the adjacent wall. Books tumbled from the bookshelf and a picture frame fell, shattering on the floor. He grabbed the muzzle of her gun, and brought his elbow up into her chin, causing her to yell out in pain, and allowing him to yank the gun out from her hands.

She recovered quickly however, and using the circular movements her style was known for, spun out of they way and delivered a powerful kick to his ribs. Batman stumbled to the side, but recovered just in time to block a flurry of punches.

He grabbed one of her arms, and spun in towards her, performing a shoulder throw that slammed her onto the billiards table behind them. That would've put most down, but she was clearly a seasoned fighter. She used the table to ground herself, and thrusted both of her kicks at his chest to gain some distance, before performing a back-roll off the table to get her back on her feet. She grabbed a pool stick and swung it at Batman, who brought up both of his arms to block the attack, shattering the stick on his vambraces.

She let out a yell, springing off the table and launching her legs around Batman's shoulders, spinning and bringing him to the ground. She went down too, but used her advantageous position to jump on his back, pinning him to the ground, and driving the broken handle of the pool stick into his neck while pulling up, suffocating him,

Batman brought his left knee up to his chest, unbalancing her, and performed an alligator-style roll, knocking her off him and allowing him to get back to his feet. He had to finish this quickly, because any second Grant and Howard would be barreling into the parlor. Surely they heard the struggle.

She was skilled, but he had size...and weight. He had to ensure she wouldn't be able to use her agility if he hoped to finish this now.

He ran in and brought his knee up as if he were going for a knee strike. She brought her arms down to block, which is what he counted on, as his real attack was a powerful backfist to the side of her head. She stumbled back as the attack connected, and he used the opportunity to kick out her leg.

As she was brought down, he delivered a powerful punch upward to her stomach. He heard a grunt escape her lips, before she fell over limp.

"BATMAN!" Large thumps could be heard from the staircase, as Grant and Howard ran downstairs. He needed space to take on Grant, and that couldn't be in this confined room. He reached into his utility belt and held his ground, and Grant and Howard ran into the room.

Before they could even speak though, he threw down several flashbang pellets in their direction and charged, grabbing Howard by the shoulders and driving him out into the entrance hall and tripping him over the hearth of the staircase. Howard yelled out in fear, as Batman attached the end of a grappling rope to his ankle, and launched him up to the threshold above the entryway door.

He thrashed around screaming, but only until all the blood rushed to his head, and he fell unconscious.

Then Batman saw spots, as he was sent tumbling by Grant who shoulder checked him. He recovered more quickly than Batman had hoped he would, but unfortunately, he could not say the same for himself.

As he struggled to push himself off the ground, Grant grabbed him by the cape and pulled him up. Responding as it was designed to, the cape detached itself, allowing Batman to get a second chance at springing himself up to his feet. Batman spun around to deliver a powerful kick, but Grant caught it, and swung, sending Batman flying through the railing of the staircase.

Batman felt a sharp pain in his leg, as one of the iron posts embedded itself in his thigh as he crashed through. He rolled over, coughing, and winced as he yanked the iron post out and threw it to the ground. Batman thought quickly, and used his grappling hook to launch himself to the top of the flight, putting much needed distance between himself and Grant.

His whole body was shooting with pain, and now he could barely put any weight on his right leg. Grant charged up the stairs, and went to tackle Batman at the second floor landing, but Batman dived to the right, and Grant barrelled forward into the wall.

He hit the wall with such force, the large, family portrait hanging about teetered precariously before falling, and hitting the ground.

"NO!" Batman yelled. Gunshots. Pearls. Two bodies hitting the floor. As he watched the oil canvas tear from the impact, and his parents once again crumpled to the ground, he was consumed by rage.

Batman yelled as he charged at Grant, fueled by adrenaline. He grabbed Grant's shoulders and used them to launch his good knee into Grant's chin.

" _Please, you don't have to do this."_

Batman spun behind Grant and locked his arm around the behemoth's neck, using enough momentum to bring him down, without getting caught under the falling giant himself.

" _Take whatever you want, just leave our family alone!"_

Batman got on top of him, and straddled him as he punched him in the face. Over and over again.

" _Bruce…"_

Over...

 _...Bruce…"_

...and over again.

"Master Bruce!" Batman stopped himself from the last punch as Alfred's voice reverberated through his earpiece. "He's down, sir."

Panting, Batman looked up at the security camera Alfred was watching from, and back down to his attacker.

His nose was broken, he was now missing teeth and his face was so bloodied you could barely recognize who he was.

Batman clenched his fists and shakily stood up. He had lost control. "Call the GCPD. Have them pick this scum up."

He limped down the stairs, using the surviving railing as support. He made his way to the grandfather clock, and set the time to 10:48...the time his parents were murdered...to enter the batcave.

"Are you alright?" Alfred asked, meeting Batman as he entered the cave.

"I'll be fine," Batman grunted. "What's the status of the Iceberg Lounge?"

"Drones indicate the assault over there is over, as well. Penguin's goons successfully fended Genesis' attackers off. Let me take a look at you." Alfred helped Batman over to the medical table, and sat Batman down.

"I have to get to Cobblepot, see what he knows."

"Let me dress your wounds first, sir. Undress while I get you some painkillers."

Batman was relieved Alfred wasn't bringing up what happened just moments ago. Perhaps he understood, or perhaps he knew Batman instantly regretted going too far...in either case, he was thankful.

Alfred returned shortly after with some medicine, and began bandaging Bruce. His reinforced suit stopped a lot, but it wasn't armor, so he was still vulnerable to many injuries. His ribs were bruised from Angela's kick, he could feel a crick in his neck from when Grant shoulder checked him, and of course, there was his leg. Not to mention his injuries from the night before.

After he was cleaned up, Alfred brought him a fresh suit, and Bruce geared up once more to be Batman. Knowing the Penguin, after an assault like that, Cobblepot would be holded deep inside his fortress, and an audience from Batman would be one of the last things he'd want. Batman wasn't in any shape to take out any of Penguin's guards, but if he played his cards right, he wouldn't have to.

"Computer, pull up an aerial view of the Iceberg Lounge." Batman commanded, making his way to the computer.

The Iceberg Lounge was the Penguin's base of operations. A nightclub, restaurant and casino...it was also where Penguin ran his corner of the Gotham underworld. Breaking in wouldn't be easy, but Batman had done it several times before.

If Batman knew Penguin...which he did...Penguin would be in his private lounge, beyond the armory and Iceberg pool...located in the center of the club. Guards would be posted on the roof, but security up there would be much lighter than on the ground. He could then enter through an air vent, but he would still have to gain entry to the armory. Last time Batman beat his way through, but he wouldn't be able to do the same this time...not with his injuries and Penguin's guards being on high alert.

Still, Batman had a plan. He always did. "Alfred, prep the Batwing. I'm going to pay a visit to our avian friend."


	5. The Prodigal Son

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: New chapters will be released every Wednesday and Friday. Please feel free to give feedback on what you think so far, as the story develops!**

While the batmobile was loud and angry, the batwing was a machine of silence and efficiency. It was a stealthcraft, with limited combat specifications, modeled after the WayneTech S-22. It was designed to have minimum airframe weight, yet could achieve altitudes of 50,000 feet, and maxed out at 300 knots. Sleek, slender and black, it easily camouflaged with a night sky using smart-paint technology. And even though it was equipped with a powerful turbo engine, it was one of the quietest aircrafts on the market.

The glass canopy could break away for emergency ejections, and polarized at stealth altitudes. It had radar-shielding capabilities, and a full range of instruments inside the cockpit that allow features such as auto pilot and discharging an EMP. Towards the back of the jet, it was capable of opening up at the bottom, allowing for high-altitude jumps.

Batman jumped into the cockpit, and began turning on the various instruments. "Computer, activate the runway."

Inside the batcave, sections of the floor began shifting as the ramp used for the batmobile widened, and extended the length of the cave. Because of the specifications of the batwing, Batman only needed roughly three-quarters of a mile of runway to takeoff….and he had a large cave.

The engines began to glow, and the plane hummed as it started to pick up speed. Moments later, the batwing was racing down the runway, and by the time it exiting the waterfall, was airborne, skipping off the water only momentarily before it was high enough to clear the trees.

The Iceberg Lounge was located in the Diamond District, which would only take minutes to get to in the plane. As the lounge became visible, he set a return course for the batcave through the autopilot system, and headed to the back of the aircraft to get ready for his jump. He remembered back when jumping used to frighten him...early in his career. But now jumping from less than 10,000 feet was nothing.

His cape...besides being fire retardant and more resilient than most of his suit...also became rigid when met with a strong, air current. This allowed for a low ratio of vertical-to-horizontal movement, enabling him to glide from low altitudes. Anything higher than roughly 10,000 feet however, and he'd have to use a parachute if he didn't want to be killed.

The floor opened up, and the loud rush of the speeding wind assaulted his ears, and the cold assaulted his body. Right now, it was 45 degrees in Gotham. But up here, it was below 20 degrees. Without any hesitation, he made his leap, his cape snapping open as he began gliding to the roof of the Iceberg Lounge.

According to thermal imaging, there was an elevated section of the roof on the south end...only watched by eight guards...and with an air duct. That was his entry point. And on that elevated section's south end, there was a tiered structure, watched above by one guard, and below by another. The rest of the roof was watched by six other guards, two on each end, spaced roughly 100 yards apart. He would take out the elevated guard first.

As he neared his landing, he pulled back, and allowed the wind to safely slow his descent. He landed behind the guard, into a roll, and before the guard could finish turning around, had him in a choke hold. 20 seconds later, he was out.

The air duct Batman needed entry to was on the west end, patrolled by two guards, and visible to the lower level guard of the south end. Which, being above that guard made it easy to take him out. As soon as the south end guard was under Batman, Batman leapt down and knocked the guard out with one silent blow. He used the elevated area as cover, and peered around the corner. As one west end guard moved north, the other moved south, covering each other's blind spots. The air duct was on the north end of the west side, meaning Batman would have to dispatch both, without either the east end or north end guards noticing. Luckily, with proper timing, Batman could manage it.

When the guards were looking in toward each other, they can see behind one another. But as they're walking away from each other, they can only see directly in front of them, leaving everything in the middle as a giant blind spot...if he could take them out quick enough that the east and north end guards wouldn't notice.

So, Batman waited for this precise moment, before he leapt off the roof and gripped the side of the building, shimmying across. The pain this caused from his scrap earlier was distracting, but he could handle it. It was only a bruised rib and a sore neck, and he had dealt with worse. As soon as the guard walking to the south passed him, he launched himself back onto the roof, and choked the guard out from behind. He then sprinted toward the north end, and did the same with other guard.

Now there were four guards left, and he would have to take them all out if he didn't want his presence known. He pulled out a collapsable blow dart gun from his utility belt, and three tranquilizer darts. Again, timing had to be everything. All it took was out gunshot, or even one shout, to put the whole building on high alert.

Before he could take out the north end guards, he had to distract the east end guards, who covered their blind a batarang that emitted a high-frequency pitch, he threw it to the south-east end, which would hopefully catch the guard's attention long enough to take advantage of the other east end guard's blind spot. He'd have to move very quickly, because it wouldn't take long for them to find the batarang, and alert everyone of his presence.

Without wasting a moment, he shot a tranq dart at the north-end guard closest to him, who was walking away from his counterpart. The blow dart gun used an auto-correcting propulsion system that calculated external factors to better guide the darts, following a laser sight. It struck the guard's neck, and immediately, the tranquilizer took effect, dropping him to the ground. Then, he shot another one at the second guard, but it missed. Dammit, wasting time! The longer the distance, the less accurate the auto-correction becomes.

He had only one shot left. He steadied the red dot on the back of the guard's neck, just he was nearing the end of the roof to turn around. Batman shot again, this time thankfully striking him in the back of the neck, and causing him to drop as well.

The north-east guard was aware that the south-east guard was looking for something, and was cautiously standing nearby. Batman delivered a precise temple-strike, dropping him to the ground, and silently charged at the last remaining guard, just as he was bending down to pick something...the batarang... up.

"HE-"

"Don't breathe another word." Batman snapped through gritted teeth, his hand covering the guard's mouth. The guard's eyes filled with terror, but he went to raise his gun anyway. Batman struck the side of the semi-automatic rifle, causing it to fly from his hand, and pulled the man in, bringing him down with a chokehold.

"Chhht... How do things look up there?... Chhht." Came the man's walkie-talkie.

Batman cleared his voice and picked up the walkie talkie. "All quiet."

"Chhht...10-4...Chhht."

It wouldn't be long know before the other guards realized something was wrong. He had to get inside the armory quickly, because even if the Penguin was locked down when they realized he was here, he would be locked down with Batman. Wanting to waste no time, he immediately started for the air duct, and ripped the vent grate off before diving inside.

"Penny-one, get me to the main lobby. I'm in the air shafts." Batman said through his comm-link.

"Start heading east. In about 10 meters, you're going to take a right."

Alfred directed him like this, until Batman was above the main lobby minutes later. In the center of the lobby was a large swimming pool, complete with an artificial iceberg and, often, penguins. But there was also something very deadly in the water when the penguins were in their freezer.

"Got a midnight snack for ya, Tiny." Batman could see through a grate below, where one of Penguin's goons was dragging a dead body to the pool...one of Genesis' men no doubt. He tossed the body in the pool, and it wasn't long before a large set of teeth emerged from the water, snapping the body in half.

Tiny was Cobblepot's pet great white, and he was anything but tiny. To the public that visited his club, it was an exotic addition to a very posh night club. But for those unlucky enough, he was also one of Penguin's greatest enforcers. And considering there was quite a bit of blood in that pool...he had been busy that evening.

Batman activated the 3-D imaging through his cowl, and surveyed the room below. The Iceberg Lounge was large with three stories, and several wings. The bottom floor was the club, with the pool as an aquarium from that level. It was almost completely a dance floor, though there were several bars and a lounge area for guests to get off their feet. Besides guards patrolling, it was nearly abandoned.

The second floor was also the ground floor. The main lobby housed the pool, and a restaurant. The east wing was comprised of slot machines, and the west wing was for table games. They were obviously closed for the night, given the events of the evening. Not even employees stuck around. The restaurant continued onto the third floor, the VIP area, which overlooked everything below. It's where Penguin spent most of his time, if he wasn't hidden away in the back of his club.

Behind the pool, a double set of steel doors led to where Penguin actually made his money. Penguin mainly dealt with arms, but he was known for selling a much more valuable commodity in Gotham: information. Its why he stayed so ahead in the underworld, and why everyone went through him before making a move, because he knew things. As despicable of a human being Penguin was, even Batman understood how valuable that was to his own operation, and he kept many tabs on Penguin for that very reason.

Beyond those doors were several private rooms, where Penguin would have meetings, make deals, torture information out of someone or even engage in high stake gambling. Beyond those rooms was an armory, that also led out to a heavily secured shipping yard. And beyond the armory was Penguin's roost. It's where his most loyal henchwomen- Jay, Raven and Lark- resided, and it's where he spent a lot of his own time as well. Being so deep in the building, it was also extremely difficult to get to.

Batman surveyed the room below him, where several guards were on "clean-up" duty from the earlier assault. It wasn't clear how many of Genesis' men died or escaped, but Batman guessed he sustained a heavy loss tonight. Batman could see double the dead that assaulted his own manor yet to be disposed of yet. Those poor, desperate individuals were brainwashed by Genesis, and sent to their deaths tonight. Genesis had to be stopped.

There seemed to be some kind of electronic pad on either side of the doors, leading to the armory. If Batman had to guess, they both had to be activated at the same time. This would make it tricky, but perhaps Alfred could hack the doors remotely if Batman could insert a flash drive into its operating system. But of course, there were two guards posted right in front.

The other guards seemed busy with their work, distracted. After all, if guards were posted at every entrance, why should the other henchmen be concerned? Behind the pool, Batman would be out of sight, meaning he only had to deal with the two guards. Maybe he could distract them? He would have to get closer.

He kept crawling through the duct, and was halfway over the pool when an alarm started going off, and red lights began flashing.

"The Bat's here!" One of Penguin's henchmen yelled, running to the double doors. "We went and checked on the group that wasn't responding, and they're all unconscious. Found this." The goon showed one of the posted guards something, perhaps a tranq dart. It couldn't have been the sonic batarang...he had picked that up. Just then, the vent dropped out from under him, and he crashed through the ceiling, falling to the bloody waters.

Thinking quickly, he shot his grappling gun, and swung over the pool, landing in front of the double doors, a sharp pain shooting through his injured leg. Immediately, six semi-automatic weapons were pointed in his direction. Cobblepot's face appeared on one of the monitors that served a keypad.

"Batman!" Penguin crooned. "How nice o' ya' to drop in. Unfortunately, we're closed fo' the evenin', and yer trespassin'!"

"I'm just here to talk, Cobblepot."

"Is tha'all? Because six o' me men are takin' a long nap right now." Penguin snarled. "Give me one good reason I shouldn' feed you to me bloody fish right now."

"Genesis." Batman responded.

"Wot was tha'?"

"Genesis. He attacked you this evening… I have information." Batman looked around at Penguin's goons, who despite having him outnumbered, were still clearly nervous. "You tell me what you know, and I'll tell you what I know."

"Blimey," Penguin remarked. "You musta' lost your plot to try and break in like this. But you know wot they say: an enemy of me enemy is me friend. So come on back, and we'll have a lil' chat."

A guard got on either side of the monitor and opened the doors for them, where Raven was waiting on the other side to escort him back. Raven was one of three managers for the club, nicknamed after a bird. Her hair was jet black, her eyes a dark shade of blue. She was dressed in a sleeveless suit with a bowtie. She wore fishnet stockings, and was in a pair of high heels. She was as skilled in martial arts as she was at managing money.

"So nice to see you again, Batman." She smiled. "Come with me. Pull anything, and you'll get shot." She snapped her fingers and with three armed escorts at his back, led Batman through a private room, and then the armory. All the guns were put away, hidden. Otherwise she probably would have never let Batman through to see their arms.

They arrived to Penguin's private parlor, where he sat on the couch, Jay and Lark curled up on either side of him. Penguin was a short, stout man with a crooked nose that resembled a beak. He didn't have much hair, and a pair of small glasses rested on his nose. He wore a large feathery coat, and had a cigar in his mouth. He didn't look like much, but he was one of the most notorious and ruthless criminals in Gotham.

"Whadya think o' me trap?" Penguin asked, standing up and grabbing his umbrella that was perched on the side of the sofa. "Afta' last time, Raven thought it might be a good idea to put sensors and traps in the vents, and how right she wos. Rodent control and al'that."

"How many attacked you tonight?"

"Ya' know Batman, I am always gobsmacked by how down ta business ya always ar'. No drink? No how ya' doin', or sorry for knockin' out those tossers of yers."

Batman didn't respond.

"Fine, a'right. Let's get down to business then. These blokes are the same that murdered the mayor, ya?"

"Yes." Batman answered.

"See, we thought so. Tonight we had just been starting to get busy, when things go ta shambles. These buggers roll in, start firing ever'where. Me guests start screaming, running for the doors. There must'a been 20 o'em." Penguin starts, pausing for long drags on his cigar.

"Element o' surprise gets them pretty far, and they start after me. I'm up top, as I always am, but I've been at this a bloody long time, and no one's getting past me boys."

Batman smirked, knowing he had on several occasions.

"Sod off. Didn' make it too far tonight, did'ya?" Penguin growled. "Anyway, as I was saying. They didn't stand much o'a chance. We sent our guests home, locked the place down, and...politely...asked a couple of their survivors some questions. Find out some bloke named Genesis ordered the attack, some nutter who wanted me blood or something like that."

"Those attackers were innocent people, brainwashed. You went too far."

"O'right." Penguin chuckled. "They threaten me and me guests, and _I_ went too far. I was defendin' me roost, and I have e'ery legal right to do so. Let's skip the morality lesson, eh?"

"Do you know who Genesis is?"

"No, I don't. And if I did, we'd be torchin' his whole operation, as we speak."

"What do you know about the Cobb family?"

"Ah-ah Batman, not so fas'," Cobblepot clicked. "You promised information too, 'member?"

"Genesis is a new actor on the scene, I don't know much, but he's dangerous." Batman started. "The Parks, Crownes and Skowcraft are all victims of his. Tonight, he also attacked Bruce Wayne...unsuccessfully. He has amassed a cult of desperate and broken people, promising prosperity and wealth through the blood of their victims. But I believe it's all a rouse, to tap into some ancient, blood magic."

"Magic? Have you gone bonkers?" Penguin laughed. But Batman looked unamused.

"Well, yer both nutters then." He scoffed at the silence.

"He has to be stopped before he hurts anyone else. What do you know about the Cobb family?"

"The one's that were murdered four years ago?"

Batman nodded.

"Well, Ruben and I were pretty good chaps...he had a lovely wife. Until, well... there was some nasty business 10 or 15 years ago." Penguin chuckled. "Let's just say I saw an advantageous business opportunity, and I took it. Nearly crippled their family, but I'm an entrepreneur, and sometimes that calls for...delicate negotiation."

"We never found their murderer."

"Don't get any funny ideas. I may be a businessman, but I loved 'em like family."

"Funny way of showing it."

"No, it's true. I loved Ruben and Paris, even attended their boy's baby shower, I did."

"You mean girl's." Batman corrected.

"No," Cobblepot said adamantly. "Their youngest, Robert."

"They only had daughters."

"There were blue balloons and everythin'!"

Batman's mind began racing. The Cobbs only had two children… Karen and Kathy. If they had a son, that would've come up in the investigation four years ago...especially if he was the youngest. The girls themselves were in their 20's, and lived at home.

"That's impossible." Batman said, shaking his head.

"I don't give a rat's arse if you believe me," Cobblepot scoffed. "You asked me what I knew about the Cobbs, and I'm tellin ya. Take it or leave it."

"Thanks." Batman said shortly, turning his cape and heading for the door. That was all he needed.

"That's it? Nuffin' else?"

"Well…" Batman stopped at the door. "Stay out of trouble. If I have to come back here, I'm taking you in."

"Bollocks!" Penguin laughed. "The only reason yer not shark chow right now, is because I'd rather you take care o' this Genesis bloke. Show yer face around here again, and we'll give you a proper time. Ladies, show our guest out." Penguin hissed.

"Alfred, send the batmobile. I think I have a lead on who Genesis is."

"Right away sir."

When the batmobile arrived, it was nearing midnight, and Bruce hadn't called Linda to update her at all. Sure enough, when he checked his phone, he had several missed calls and unopened text messages. He called her immediately.

"Oh Bruce, thank God!" Linda sighed in relief, when she answered the phone. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bruce responded. "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner. Police had me tied up with questioning."

"You should've let me come with you." Here it came. Now that she knew he was alright, a switch went off in Linda. "I mean, how could you just leave me in a theater by myself?"

"I'm so sorry, but it wasn't safe. If you saw what they did to the manor…" Bruce cringed thinking about his family portrait. "Did you enjoy the rest of the show?"

"No!" Linda shrieked. "I had my driver pick me up, I went home."

Bruce didn't know what to say. "Well, do you want me to come-"

"No Bruce, no." Linda said flatly. "Look, I'm glad you're alright, but I'm going to bed. Alone."

Bruce sighed. "Well, I'll call you in the morning. I love you, Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Bruce."

Shortly after, Batman was back at the batcave. "Alfred, we need to run a scan for any files on Robert Cobb. And these files may be old, something we missed when we investigated the Cobb's murder four years ago...simply because we weren't looking in the right places." Batman said, taking off his cowl, and approaching the computer.

"My word...a family member?"

"And possibly their murderer." Batman responded.

"So the visit with our flightless bird friend was fruitful, then?"

"We'll find out." Batman said, punching the keyboard to his computer.

"Master Bruce, you've had a very long day. Allow me to run the search, while you get some rest."

"Alfred, you know-"

"Please, Bruce. Don't worry this old man. You know I'm more than capable of taking care of this."

Bruce was reluctant, but stepped away from the computer. "Fine, but wake me up as soon as you find something."

"Of course sir."

Batman undressed and showered. As soon as his body hit the bed, it felt like lead. It set in how tired he actually was, and it didn't take long before he was out.

The next morning, Bruce woke up on his own...no Alfred to aid him. He rolled over, and his clock read 10:30. Bruce's eyes shot wide open. 10:30? Why did Alfred let him sleep in so late? He jumped out of bed, threw on a pair of pajama pants, and ran down to the cave, where Alfred was polishing one of Batman's many 'trophies'.

"Alfred, why'd you let me sleep so late?"

"You needed the rest, Master Bruce. And it _is_ a Sunday."

"What did you find last night?" Bruce asked, making his way to the computer.

"First, maybe some breakfast?"

"Alfred." Bruce growled.

"Fine." Alfred sighed. "I found some rather interesting…"

 _Ring. Ring. Ring._ Bruce's cell phone was going off. It was Linda.

"Linda, hey. Good morning."

"Morning Bruce. Look, I need to tell you something."

"Uh-oh." Bruce's heart sank. "What is it?"

"Daddy had to fire a lot of people this morning, I thought you should hear it from me first, since you're a shareholder."

For a moment, Bruce was relieved that was all. But then, her words hit him. "Wait, your father's laying people off?"

"Well, yeah, But it's not like it's a surprise. You know how daddy's company has been struggling. The pay cuts just weren't working, I guess."

"How many are losing their jobs?"

"Across the county? Thousands. Hundreds will be affected here in Gotham."

"And he's breaking the news on a Sunday?" Bruce asked, incredulously.

"Well, he doesn't want to waste anyone's time coming into work tomorrow."

This wasn't good. Thomas Page immediately became a target for Genesis...along with Linda.

"Look, I'm with him right now, he feels just awful about it. He even cancelled his vacation! I should try and cheer him up, but he understands if you feel like you need to sell."

"Linda, that's not what I'm worried about. What about those Genesis freaks? They're targeting companies they hold responsible for stuff like that."

"Bruce, that's nonsense. Daddy's done nothing wrong, it's just a tough economy is all. Besides, we're up here in the penthouse. We'll be fine."

"Stay there."

"But Bruce-"

"Stay there, Linda." Bruce hung up the phone and immediately opened a new tab on the computer. "Alfred, call Gordon. Tell him that Page Oil and Gas may be Genesis' next target."

"Right away, sir."

Bruce then called Lucius.

"Morning Bruce, how are you? Have a good night last night?"

"Lucius, did you find out anything, that I asked you to look into?"

"No sir. As I thought, everything seems to be running per usual. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Thanks Lucius." He hung up and sat in his chair, perplexed. Then why was Bruce Wayne a target? A target he wanted alive? Could it be that maybe Thomas and Linda were safe, after all?

"Gordon says he'll send a squad car to watch their penthouse." Alfred said, coming back to Bruce.

"I've got to get over there." Bruce said, standing up.

"I'm sure Gordon's men have it under control, It may, after all, be nothing. You can do more good here, reviewing the files I found for you."

Bruce took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Alright, tell me what you found."

"Well, it appears your hunch is right. The Cobbs _did_ have a son. But they went through quite the lengths to cover it up, for some reason. I found this birth certificate in the old, backup files of a hospital here in Gotham. Yet, you can't find record of him in the city, or in the hospital's current mainframe."

"Interesting…" Bruce muttered. "What else did you find?"

"Some odds and ends, that confirm he did exist. A yearbook photo, an apartment lease, an article on a philanthropy event the Cobbs attended shortly after his birth."

"An apartment lease?"

"Yes, in the Bowery...with a Perry Santiago. He attended the same prep school that I found Robert's yearbook photo from. Old schoolmate I suppose."

"Where can I find Santiago?" Bruce asked, arms crossed.

"Well, I'm afraid you can't. He died five years ago...committed suicide."

Bruce looked at Alfred, puzzled.

"Oh dear. Master Bruce, look." Alfred pointed at the TV. It was muted, but Bruce scrambled to unmute it when he read the headline.

"-a hostage situation downtown, where oil tycoon Thomas Page, and his daughter Linda Page, are being held by the group calling themselves the Gates of Genesis. Police say things escalated after a group killed two nearby police officers. More officers were called to the scene, and that's when the standoff began."

"It hasn't even been fifteen minutes!" Bruce exclaimed heading straight for his suit. He felt sick to his stomach...Linda was in danger, in the hands of unstable and desperate people."

"I know we haven't talked about it sir, but that painting last night…"

"You're bringing that incident up now, Alfred?"

"It's just… I know you deeply care for Ms. Page. But I would hate for you to lose control like that again." Alfred said sternly.

Bruce nodded. "I understand. Don't worry Alfred."

Batman suited up, and headed for the batmobile. "It's a Sunday morning, of all times to attack. Either Genesis is getting sloppy, which I doubt, or he's closing in on his master plan, and is desperate to finish it with the losses he took last night."

"Be careful sir."

Batman slammed the door to the batmobile, and jetted out of the cave.


	6. Where were you?

The Page Penthouse was located in Gotham Village, an artsy area of Gotham known for its progressive nature. It was an unusual location for a business tycoon, especially one that dealt with oil. But Thomas Page loved the atmosphere, and their penthouse admittedly had a fantastic view of the area.

Bruce didn't spend a lot of time there, but knew the layout well enough. It was a 12 story building, with a lobby you needed a key card to enter. It was the nicest building in the area, easily distinguishable from the other buildings around it, with its bright white color and large, wall-sized windows.

Batman parked the batmobile several blocks away, in an alley out of sight. It would be hard not to stick out in this area, especially during the day time. That's why Batman traveled high, on the rooftops, above everyone's point of view. Across from the penthouse was a tall building that Gordon and some of his men were using to get a view inside. On the ground, several squad cars and a SWAT team were on standby. Police had the area blocked off, and media crowded the west side.

"What's happening right now?" Batman asked, walking beside Gordon, who was peering into the penthouse through a pair of binoculars.

"Working during the day now, huh?" Gordon asked.

"I have a special interest here. This cult has to be stopped."

"Well, we're running out of time here," Gordon sighed. "Our hostage negotiators aren't making any headway. I think the only reason they haven't killed the Pages yet is because they have no way out, but they're fanatics...unreasonable demands. They said we could have the daughter, if we let them leave unharmed. But regardless, they say Thomas Page dies."

"How many are there?"

"By my count? Four."

"And the Pages?"

"We haven't seen them. They're keeping them away from the windows, but our negotiators insisted they speak to the hostages, so the they let us hear from Linda Page. She told us her and her father are alright, for now."

"Anyone else inside?"

"The building is full of people. We've tried to evacuate, but the suspects are saying if we do, they'll kill the hostages. They don't want anyone entering or leaving the building."

"I'm going in."

"Batman, no! This is too tense of a situation. These people aren't afraid to kill. If they get spooked…"

"I'll be much more discreet than your SWAT team, Jim," Batman retorted, pulling out his grappling gun and launching it toward the side of the building. "Trust me."

Batman had been in hostage situations before, but dealing with a situation involving someone he truly cared about added a pressure he hadn't felt in a long time. He needed to play this smart, and carefully.

4 perps. 2 hostages. On the face of things, it actually seemed fairly simple. He had dealt with worse in the past. Plus, he knew the layout of the penthouse, giving him an advantage. Batman activated his 3-D imaging, to get a look inside.

It appeared Linda was in the dining room, on her knees with an armed cultist right next to her. Thomas was in the bedroom, struggling on the ground as two others were pinning him down. There wasn't much time at all!  
The fourth was facing the window, on the phone. With hostage negotiators? Genesis? Batman could find out. Inside his utility belt, he had an IMSI-catcher that communicated with his cowl's hearing device. When activated, the device acted like a cell tower that intercepted the call, before the signal moved to the real cell tower. This allowed Batman to eavesdrop on any phone conversation he targeted.

"...I prepared you all for the risks. Complete the ritual, that is the priority. Remember, prosperity first comes to the families of those who sacrificed themselves for our cause. Your sacrifices would be no different."

"Of course, Progenitor. However, sabotage was Brandon's specialty in the Marines. I think we know of a way we can escape."

"Don't mess this up. Tonight has to be the night, and we've already suffered too many set-backs."

"Yes, Progenitor." The man hung up the phone, and headed to the kitchen. He went to the bar, and it looked like he was making himself a drink.

He had to take out Linda's captor first. With Linda safe, he could rescue Thomas. But that meant also taking out the man who just got off the cell phone. Regardless, he had to get in there now. Batman had an idea, but Gordon wouldn't like it...it was far from discreet.

The penthouse had a fireplace, one that was in the middle of the living area. Batman stood over the chimney, and tied his grappling hook around it, leaving the other end connected to his utility belt. He then activated every smoke grenade he had on him, dropping the four canisters down the chute. Finally, he activated the thermal imaging of his lenses, and dived off the roof, using the rope to propel himself through the glass and into the penthouse.

In Thomas' bedroom…

"Avi, ovi fer sanada. Porti sha fah ti rori." Cody was in the middle of preparing Thomas Page's body for the ritual, when he was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass, just as a copious amount of smoke began to fill the room. He looked at Daniel, another member of the cult, who glanced back at him nervously, dropping the knife he was holding and standing up. But soon, they could barely see each other.

There was gunfire, followed by a scream.

"That sounded like Brandon!" Daniel exclaimed.

"I'll go check it out. You start performing the ritual, now!"

"But the rest of the chant..."

"Now Daniel!" Cody yelled, grabbing his gun and running out the door of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

The smoke was even worse out here, Cody could barely see in front of him.

"B-Brandon?" He coughed. "J-Jeremy?"

"I'm here man, I'm here. Fuck, thank God." A hand reached out and latched on to Cody's wrist.

"Jesus man, you scared the shit out of me!"

"It's the Agent. He's here."

Cody's heart began racing. One of the reasons they chose to strike during the day was to avoid this problem. The Progenitor said if it was Bruce Wayne like he suspected him to be, then we wouldn't dare risk attacking during the day.

"Where's Brandon?" Cody asked, panicked, gripping his gun tightly.

"I don't know, man. I told him to shoot the girl and- AHHHHH!" Cody was tugged forward, as Jeremey was ripped off him. There was a snapping sound, more screams.

DAKAKAKAKAKAKA!

Cody began wildly firing in the direction of the screams.

"BRANDON?! JEREMY?!"

There was screaming from the bedroom now, but thankfully, it sounded like Thomas Page. The sound of a door being busted open could be heard. In the opposite direction, Cody saw a light, the elevator entering the clubhouse. Cody had to execute Brandon's plan...had to give them a chance to escape. Cody made a break for the elevator.

Meanwhile, Batman burst into the room after hearing Thomas' screams. The cultist was crouched over Thomas, who was writhing in pain, clutching his right arm that was now missing a hand.

"No!" Batman ran to the cultist, who raised the knife to plunge into Thomas' chest. Batman grabbed his wrist and tackled him, pinning him to the ground. The cultist struggled, wrestling his knife hand free. They fought for control of the knife, as he tried to bring it up towards Batman's stomach.

"You've lost, Agent." The man whispered, turning the knife and plunging it into his own chest, Batman's weight coming down on the knife as well.

"No!" Batman gasped, trying to prop the man up, while holding the blade in place to limit blood loss. Then he remembered Mr. Page, who was still crying and screaming."

"Mr. Page, stay still." Batman said, grabbing the sheets off the bed and tearing off some fabric, to make a makeshift tourniquet. He lifted Thomas up, and took him to the kitchen, and turned on the stove. "Mr. Page, this is going to hurt."

"No, no, no!" Thomas pleaded.

"If I don't cauterize this wound, you'll bleed out." Batman pressed. The smoke was starting to clear from the penthouse, venting from the smashed window. Once the electric burner was hot enough, Batman pressed the wound down on it, eliciting a blood curling scream from Thomas.

"I'm sorry Mr. Page." Batman took another piece of fabric he had kept, and wrapped the cauterized wound, before also making a sling and laying Thomas against the oven,

"Daddy!" Linda cried, running from behind the two and embracing her father delicately. "Are you alright, oh God...what did they do to you?"

"Linda, are _you_ alright?" Batman asked. Bruce was so relieved to see her. Besides being shaken up and terrified, she seemed okay. Batman was furious. The fact that Genesis involved someone he cared about...whether intentional or not...made his blood boil. He wanted to find Genesis, and break every bone in his body.

"H-how do you know my- sorry, thank you." She broke down and embraced Batman as well. Batman comforted her for a moment, but then pushed her away. There was still one more cultist, but he was nowhere to be found.

"We have to get you two out of here." Batman activated his comm-link, tuned in to the GCPD frequency. "Gordon, I've got the hostages. Mr. Page has lost a hand, and needs medical attention. So does one of the cultists, who is bleeding out fast. One of the cultists made a break for it.. Don't let anyone leave the building."

"No can do Batman, we have a bit of a situation."

"What's happening?"

"The building's on fire. We're evacuating residents as we speak. You and the Pages need to get down here fast. The fire's been started on multiple floors, and is spreading quickly."

"We need to get you two out of here." Batman commanded, helping them both up, and heading for the window. He broke out more of the window, and shot a grappling hook across to Gordon, setting up a zipline.

Thomas was pale, and missing a hand, meaning he would have to stay with Batman.

"Linda, I need you to take this, and go across." Batman said, setting up a carabiner on the line.

"B-Batman, I c-c-can't." She sobbed, clinging to his side. "And what about my father?"

"We'll be right behind you, but you have to go now!" Batman could start to smell the smoke as it climbed through the air. The cultist who escaped must have started some fires as a diversion.

Linda looked across to where Gordon was waiting for her, but she was frozen in place, crying uncontrollably.

"Linda please. Your father needs help."

Shakily standing forward, she nodded her head and grabbed on to the carabiner. She took several moments to gather her courage, but eventually turned her head and made the plunge.

Gordon reached out and grabbed Linda as she made it across, and she clung to him for dear life as he patted her on the back, consoling her. She was terrified, and Bruce Wayne was nowhere to be found. It tore him up on the inside, but...focus. He needed to focus.

Thomas weighed over 200 pounds, and he wouldn't be able to make it across with the two of them. Ziplining wasn't the answer, meaning they'd have to take the stairs.

Putting Thomas's good arm over his shoulders, Batman turned them around and headed for the hallway. There was a private elevator directly in the suite, but the fire could've compromised it.

Thomas was slow and sluggish, and the stairwell was packed with evacuees, but eventually, they made it down to ground level. Linda was waiting by the ambulance on the ground floor, and Batman walked Thomas over to her.

"I'm alright, sweetheart." Thomas managed to stammer, as she hugged him tightly.

"Daddy…" She sobbed.

"Has everyone been evacuated?" Batman asked, as Gordon approached.

"The Fire Department is still doing checks. Luckily, the blaze is under control now." Batman looked up at the burning building, as firefighters worked to fight back the flames.

Batman grappled back up into the penthouse, and began helping firefighters check suites.

"Well thank goodness the Pages are alright...all things considering." Alfred said through his commlink, after Batman told him everything that had happened.

"Still, only three of the attackers are in custody. The fourth…"

Batman was on the 10th floor, and had just picked up a cat, when something caught his eye, stopping him mid-sentence. While everyone on the street below was walking _toward_ the crowd of people to view the commotion, someone was walking _away_ from the crowd. And it was his missing cultist. Again, his blood began to boil.

"Alfred, I found him."

He handed the cat to one of the firefighters, and jumped out yet another window. His cape snapped into a glide, and he rolled onto a nearby building, overlooking the attacker. He leapt from the building, his cape billowing, and landed directly in front of the man. The man screamed in surprise, and turned away in a sprint. Batman began chasing him, but the cultist began up a fire escape.

The man, desperate to get away, quickly made it to the top and stepped on the balcony of the fire escape,

"Stop!" Batman yelled.

The man took a leap for a neighboring fire escape, but Batman reached out his arm, and grabbed the man by his ankle, causing him to slam into the side of the metal railing. The man let out a yelp of pain.

Batman dragged him back onto the fire escape, and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, pushing him over the edge, but securely holding on.

"Stop, stop!" The man screamed.

"Where's Genesis?!" Batman screamed.

"I-I don't know, I s-s-wear!"

"Try again!" Batman pushed him out a little further.

"H-he's preparing for some kind of r-r-itual." The man whimpered.

"But where?!"

The man didn't respond, but instead looked away, whimpering.

"Fine, let's try this a different way." Batman yanked the man back on the balcony, but twisted him around and pulled him in close, bringing his arm around his neck. Batman's hold didn't obstruct the man's breathing, but did keep him secure. Batman then took his other hand, and held the man's hand outstretched. There was a snap, as he broke the man's middle finger.

"Ahhhh!" The man cried.

"You've got nine more chances to tell me _where,_ and then I move onto more important places." Batman growled.

"I don't know where he is right now, I don't!" The man cried. "But as soon as it gets dark, h-he'll be under Gotham Square...i-in the abandoned subway terminal."

"Why?"

The man hesitated. Snap!

"BECAUSE!" He shrieked. "Tonight we get our prosperity. What we deserve!"

Tonight, Genesis was going to attempt to bring someone back to life.

"But go ahead, go." The man hissed. "Genesis needs Bruce Wayne's blood anyway! That's you, right?"

The attack on Wayne Manor must have confirmed his identity to them.

"How many of you are left?" Batman asked.

"Just think about how many of us you leave to starve every night. Our numbers will never dwindle as long as scum like you maintain your status quo." He said through gritted teeth. "You created us. Now, we will rise up, and take what should belong to _all_ of us!"

"And how will you do that?"

"It's not talent that makes you successful, Wayne. It's not drive, or ingenuity that got you to where you are. You're rich because of your family. Because of your blood. And as soon as our ritual is complete, the blood we've spilled and consumed will grant _our_ families prosperity for generations to come."

It was the same propaganda Genesis told him at the Cobb Mansion. Purposefully vague, Batman was sure that whatever ritual would be performed tonight would accomplish nothing of the sort. If what Zatanna said was true, then something truly awful would emerge tonight.

Batman would have liked nothing more than to continue snapping bones, but restrained himself, and instead, handcuffed him to the fire escape.

"Gordon, I have a the escaped cultist, down the street across from the coffee house," He switched frequencies. "Alfred, I know where Genesis is going to be tonight. But first, I need to see Linda. Where is she?"

"Thomas Page was transported to Gotham General 20 minutes ago. I imagine you will find her with him."

Bruce Wayne was directed to the casualty unit of the hospital. It was now 5 p.m., several hours after the attack, and Bruce Wayne's first appearance. He had tried calling and texting several times, but Linda was either too distraught...or too angry...to respond.

"Thomas Page?" He asked a nearby nurse.

"204-C." The nurse responded, pointing down the hall.

Flowers in hand, he opened the door and entered the room.

"Bruce! Are those flowers for me?" Thomas chuckled. Thomas was in the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV. He had proper bandages now, and donned a hospital gown. Linda was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his hand.

"How are you feeling, Thomas?" Bruce asked.

"I've clearly seen better days," Thomas sighed. "But I'll be alright. And more importantly, Linda's alright."

"Linda…" Bruce started, but she got off the bed and walked outside the room, grabbing Bruce's hand and dragging him out with her.

"Linda, are you-"

 _Whack!_

Bruce was stopped mid-sentence by a stinging slap to the face.

Tears were welling in Linda's eyes,

"Linda, I-"

"Stop, Bruce. Just stop!" Linda whispered, choking back tears. "I'm done, okay?"

"Just...take a breath." Bruce softly spoke, taking her hands.

"No! I really needed you today, more than ever. And here you are, now?" Linda scathed, pulling her hands away. "The mayor's manor, the magic show, and now this. I've just realized Bruce, that you will never be there when I need you to be."

Bruce's heart sank like lead. "Linda, that's not true."

"Then promise me," She demanded. "Promise me that when I call because I need something, you'll answer. And that when I need you, you'll be by my side. Promise me, Bruce."

And then it hit him...she was right. His life as Batman has always taken a toll on their relationship, and always would. One day, he would like to think he could give up the Batman, and settle down...but that day wouldn't be today, with Genesis terrorizing the city. Or anytime soon, with criminals like the Penguin, or lunatics like the Joker, on the loose. And as he looked at her that moment, with so much pain on her face, he realized he was responsible. And it was nothing less than his own selfishness that caused it.

"I'm sorry…" Bruce stammered. "...I can't."

"Why not? Am I that unimportant to you?" She whimpered.

"No, that's not it…"

"Then why?" She demanded.

He couldn't tell her...he just couldn't. Instead, he remained silent.

Linda began softly crying, just nodding her head.

"You're right, you deserve better. And right now, your father needs you in there...like I should've been there." Bruce sighed, after moments of silence.

Linda nodded, and turned to go back into the room.

"Linda, wait." Bruce stopped her. "...are...are you alright?"

"No," She answered. "But I will be. Take care, Bruce."

Bruce stood outside the door for several moments, so many emotions whirling through his mind. He turned and headed for the exit, leaving the flowers in a nearby trashcan.

Across town, a different kind of argument was happening in Barbara Gordon's loft.

"...so infuriating! How can one man be that stubborn?"

"Trust me Barb, I _know._ "

Barbara was venting to Dick Grayson via webcam, about her bat problem. She had just gotten out of the shower and was laying on her bed, towels wrapped around her body and hair. Her laptop was on the edge of the bed, displaying Dick's face, who was in his Nightwing outfit... minus the face mask.

"I mean, y'all haven't even talked since you left, right?"

"Nopeeeee." Nightwing said.

"I mean, what an ass!" Barbara groaned. "And you know, that's what this is really about. Because I've been Batgirl going on three years now, and my "safety" was only an objection when I first began. But now, because you left, he's all "I'm Batman. I don't need anyone's help." She growled her voice for a Batman impression.

"He may not admit it, but he _does_." Dick said. "I still worry about him, don't get me wrong. I may have left because his compulsive need to control _everything_ was...suffocating...but that doesn't mean I don't think he needs help."

"I don't know." Barbara sighed. "Sometimes, I feel like breaking away from the Bat symbol like you did...to do my own thing."

"No babe, don't follow my lead," Dick disagreed. "You were never seen as a sidekick, Barb. He's always trusted you in a way that I don't think he's ever trusted me. Plus, Gotham City is your home. It _needs_ you. Gotham was never that for me."

"Dick, of course it was. You spent a good part of your life here."

"Trust me, you have a much different definition of home when you grow up in the circus." Dick laughed. "Just...when you don the suit, think of Gotham. Not Batman. He can't defend the city by himself."

Barbara nodded, just as she got a text message. She picked up her phone and saw that it was from Zatanna.

" _I just felt something big. Something powerful just awoke in Gotham_ ," The text read. " _Want to go on a magic hunt?"_

"Sweetie, I got to go." Barbara told Dick. "Kick ass tonight, okay?"

"You too. Be careful out there." Nightwing smirked, ending the session.

Dick was right. She did this for Gotham...not Batman.


	7. Sanguinem Magicae

"Alfred, I'm heading to the abandoned subway terminal. It's time to end this." Bruce told Alfred via cell phone, as he exited the hospital.

"And Ms. Page? That was a short visit."

Bruce said nothing, simply walked across the street to where his batmobile...and suit...were cloaked and waiting.

"I'm...terribly sorry, Bruce." Alfred lamented, deducing what happened from the silence.

"The subway terminal is under Gotham Square, pull up any old architectural designs, see if you can find me the easiest way in." Batman said, peeling off and heading downtown.

"Very good, sir." There was silence while Alfred looked up schematics online, but he broke it several moments later. "Have you considered telling her, sir? Telling her your secret?"

Of course Batman had considered it. But up until this point, he had told a very select few people...and never to anyone he was in a relationship with. To make that step...to put her in that kind of danger...it was a side of him he never would've wanted Linda to see. Maybe this was for the best...maybe his life as Batman was meant to be an isolated one.

"If I may sir...at some point...if you want someone to be a part of your life...you have to let them into it." Alfred continued.

"...any luck on the schematics?" Batman asked.

Alfred sighed. "It involves the sewer."

"I'm no stranger."

Batman parked the batmobile several blocks away, and cloaked it, before grappling to the top of the Gotham clock tower, overlooking the square.

"Sir, Zatanna has contacted you. She says she just felt a powerful, magical energy emerge."

"Tell her I'm already there, and to stay put." Batman said, gliding down to a sewer grate, and pulling back the manhole cover. The stench hit him in the face immediately, but after so many years, it was a smell that he was unfortunately used to.

Wading in the Gotham filth was never fun, but often, it was the most efficient means of travel through the city. After a quarter mile or so of walking, Alfred directed him to a grate above, that used to run off into the sewer. But since the terminal was abandoned, so was its use.

Batman leapt up and pulled himself inside, crawling for what seemed like an hour (though it wasn't nearly that long), until finally he heard voices...chanting.

"Avi soro gritte soro...avi soro gritte soro...avi soro gritte soro…"

"Yes, that's it, that's it!" Came Genesis' laughter.

Batman activated his 3-D imaging, and to his surprise, though there were lots of cultists, there were no guns present. If it was a trap, it would be too easy to foil. With a grate directly above him, Batman roughly pushed it out of his way, and jumped from the crawl space.

"Genesis!" He growled. "Have your men stop their chanting."

"Ah, the Agent! Just in time." Genesis smirked, turning from his cultists. On the ground, a large seal of some kind ran the length of the terminal platform. It was glowing a bright green and comprised of shapes and runes within the large circle.. His cultists chanted at the edge of it, all with their wrists raised, and a knife in their other hands. The seal is what Zatanna must have felt, once it was conjured.

"Batman, are you familiar with sanguinem magicae?" Genesis asked.

"Blood magic."

"Very good!" Genesis said. "It's old sorcery...nasty stuff...but powerful."

"We end this now. Stop the chanting!"

"...avi soro gritte soro...avi soro gritte soro…"

Genesis snapped his fingers.

"Avi soro gritte soro." Just like that it stopped, and an eerie silence filled the room.

"Now, my faithful followers. You know what to do." He said softly.

Almost in unison, each cultist took their knives and sliced open their wrists, bleeding all over the seal. Almost immediately, the seal began sizzling, emitting smoke, and turned a deep orange.

"Enough!" Batman charged at Genesis, to take him out.

"Confuto." Genesis commanded, outstretching his hand towards Batman, who froze immediately. He couldn't move a muscle, not even his eyes. What had Genesis done?

"As I was saying, powerful stuff. Once the seal is activated, there is virtually nothing I cannot do." Genesis turned and outstretched his arms to the ceiling. "Genesis porta, et accersi. Veni foras!"

Suddenly, the whole underground began trembling, and the air changed. Batman wasn't mystically attuned, but even he could feel it. The seal turned from dark orange to a bright white, and a large arch began emerging from the ground, the rumbling even causing the foundation above them to shake.

Large, and made of an almost pristine stone, it looked identical to the diagram Batman took to Zatanna. The gate was here, and Batman literally couldn't lift a finger. He hated magic.

"Look at it. Isn't it marvelous?" Genesis admired. He snapped his fingers and Batman dropped to his knees, unfrozen. "Grab him. I need him...mobile... for this."

Before Batman could recover, two of the larger cultists grabbed his arms and shoulders, and kept him pressed to the ground.

"Bring me the required materials!" Genesis demanded. 4 cultists entered, bearing a casket, and another holding a small box.

"Genesis, don't do this." Batman grunted through gritted teeth. "You don't know what you're about to unleash."

"Will my envoys step forward? Those who carry the flesh of the Crownes, and Parks inside them."

Four cultists stepped out from the circle, and joined Genesis in front of the gate.

"My children...remember, those who sacrifice all are rewarded first. Now go, into the gate. Open it for us."

Batman struggled to free himself, but was slammed into the ground for his effort. "Don't do it! You're sacrifice isn't for what you think!"

From their waist bands, they all drew knives, and stood in the middle of the arch. They lifted the knives to their throats, and…

"No!" Batman yelled, as the four bodies dropped, and the inner-gate began glowing a trandecent blue.

"Genesis… I know about Santiago. I know you're trying to bring him back to life." Batman struggled.

"Do you know what's in this box?" Genesis asked, as it was handed to him. Genesis pulled out a hand, belonging to a woman.

"The hands…"

"That's right. The Crownes…"

He tossed two hands in.

"The Parks."

Two more.

"And Mr. Page. Yes, I managed to still get my _hands_ on it." Genesis chuckled.

"He was your lover, wasn't he?" Batman asked, as the smile left Genesis' face.

"That's why your parents disowned you...they found out... and tried to erase you from their family."

"You don't know half of the story!" Genesis hissed.

"Two men from wealthy families, sharing an apartment in the Bowery? It didn't make sense...until I learned he committed suicide. Then it all clicked. The Gate...why you seemed to vanish from the Cobb family...their _murders_ ,"

"Enough of this nonsense. That body is a sacrifice of rotting flesh. Everything I'm doing tonight is for the Gates of Genesis!"

"Enough of the lies, Robert."

"How dare you use my name! Bring him here, to the gate!" Genesis commanded. Bruce was dragged to the glowing gate, where he was made to stand before Genesis.

"Curious why we wanted you here, alive, Bruce?" Genesis asked. "This ritual...requires pure blood. The Crownes...Parks...powerful families. But a Wayne? Your family basically built Gotham. You're blood is as pure as it gets. And I need it fresh."

"You're psychotic." Batman spat.

"And you're a dead man, Mr. Wayne." Genesis reached out to grab Batman's mask, but was met with an electrical shock...an anti-tampering feature of his suit. Genesis stumbled in pain, and the cultists holding him were caught of guard- the perfect opportunity.

Batman dropped to the ground like dead weight, causing his captors to let go, and he backrolled into a fighting stance.

"Get him!" Genesis shrieked, clutching his hand. The two cultists, and six more attackers, all came at Bruce.

To the one directly in front of him, Batman delivered an uppercut to his chin, before throwing a back kick to the one charging behind him. Not wanting to waste the momentum, he pivoted his body, and slung the first stunned attacker over his shoulder, before throwing him into the second attacker.

A punch to the nose, a strike to the throat, followed by a groin strike incapacitated another. One of the cultists grabbed his cape and pulled him backwards, but he literally rolled with it, and used his arms to spring himself up and send both of his feet flying into the man's chin. He was out cold.

Four were down, but a couple were starting to stir, and he still had four more to deal with. A nearby woman threw a punch, but he slipped it, pulling her arm down while simultaneously punching up and breaking her arm. While she stumbled in pain, a spinning roundhouse kick sent her flying.

Then he was struck, someone sending their leg straight into his back. He stumbled forward, but before he could recover, another punched him across the cheek. Then another punch came his way, but this time he blocked. Countering with a punch of his own, he then charged forward, delivering another two in quick succession.

He struck the bridge of the nose of another attacker, before grabbing the back of his head and slamming it into another attacker that was trying to charge him from behind.

Three attackers stood back up, ready to go again, but Genesis once more tapped into his seal.

"Confuto!" He shrieked. Everyone, including his own cultists, were stopped in their tracks. "I weary of this. Obruat eum. I suppose the World's Greatest Detective wants to know the whole truth? Not that it matters...you're about to die."

Batman screamed on the inside, every fiber inside of him wanting to move.

"Don't worry, they can't hear a thing." He whispered, getting within inches of Batman and motioning to his cultists..

"The Cobb name was a proud and powerful one. If there was a military contract somewhere, chances are, we were on the other end of it. Missiles, guns, equipment for espionage...it didn't matter. My grandfather's company was just a small manufacturing company before World War II...then it became an empire."

"Then, 40 years later, enter me. My life was perfect. Two doting parents, two fun-loving sisters, and every wish or need was catered to. Then, I got into my pre-teen years, and I began to feel...different. I'd find myself staring at male classmates, and when I caught myself, I'd shudder. What was I doing? To reassure myself, I got a girlfriend. But even with her, I had these...thoughts. Well, then I met Perry."

"At first, it was innocent. We were just friends...got in all kinds of trouble. But when we first kissed...everything changed. I accepted who I was. Unfortunately, my parents didn't feel the same way. And when Penguin cut in on our family business, the stress ate my family alive. My father threw me out, said he wouldn't raise any fag. My mother didn't dare anger Ruben, and my sisters were...snobs."

"So, Perry and I got an apartment together. Incidentally, his family was cut from the same as mine...and was just as unwanted. Our life together was meager, but it was happy. He worked so I could go to college...paid all with scholarships I might proudly add...until the layoff. Perry...lost his job. He struggled to find work, but instead found the bottle. I tried to help him, encourage him, but it did little to lift his spirits. Every late payment, every month we had to plead with the landlord for a little more time took him further away from me."

"One day, I returned home from an especially long day. I was now working two part-time jobs and was still juggling my classes. I remember thinking that I couldn't wait to see Perry." Genesis stopped speaking. Batman knew what was coming next.

"He had hanged himself...an empty bottle of scotch broken next to him. Police said he kicked it off the table when his legs were flailing. Pretty picture, huh? Well, after that… I just couldn't move on. You know about loss, don't you Wayne? I was distracted at work, in my classes...overtaken by grief I lost my jobs and my scholarships. I could no longer afford my apartment, and was out on the streets."

"Every night I spent shivering, every night I spent wet or broken… I thought of my parents. Of my disgusting family and how, because of them, I had absolutely nothing. Well one night, it was storming especially bad. And the thought of them warm in their home just kept burning inside of me, like an uncontrollable rage. Enough was enough! I went home that night, and after I had apologized...after they had forgiven me and made me a bed… I murdered them all in their sleep. Sliced them open like they were one of my anatomy projects back in college, like they had sliced _me_ open."

"I returned to the streets, vindicated. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I decided to use the opportunity to learn. I really grew to know these poor, broken people. The soldiers that return home from war with nothing...forced to sleep under bridges. The single mothers who were forced to choose between feeding their children and keeping their home. I heard stories, similar to my own, of those crushed by the powerful...who felt true loss thanks to the corruption of the corporate world. Most importantly, I learned of magic...of forces that were far beyond our understanding...forces that could even bring the dead back to life. For years, I experimented with it, mutilating myself for the cause... I made it my goal to right the wrongs in the world...and bring Perry back to me."

There was so much pain, so much hate, behind Genesis' story. Robert Cobb was so misguided and warped by those who wronged him that he was bringing hell to innocent people that did nothing to him. As tragic as his story was, he was blatantly lying to his followers to have them lay their lives down for his selfish cause. Genesis had become a monster that had to be stopped.

" _Meht esaeler!_ " A familiar voice rang out through the terminal, and Batman dropped forward, he could move again.

Three batarangs whizzed through the air, one slicing Genesis across the cheek, and another stabbing him in the shoulder.

"Ahh!" He cried out, grabbing the batarang from his shoulder, and throwing it to the ground.

"Batman, are you okay?" Zatanna teleported to Batman's right, and Batgirl grappled over to his left.

"Saving your ass seems to be a pattern these days, huh?" Batgirl smirked.

"The bat from the Mayor's Manor… I was wondering when we would encounter you." Genesis grunted, recovering from the attack.

"Watch out, this seal gives him his power." Batman warned the two. He told them not to come, but Batman couldn't argue that their appearance couldn't have come at a better time.

"Don't worry Batman. You're in the presence of Zatanna the Great," Zatanna winked. " _Etag, eb enog ot eht noisnemid morf erehw uoy emac!_ "

But the gate didn't budge. It remained, glowing and unmoved. Genesis began cackling.

"Silly girl!" He taunted. "You think your backwards magic has any effect on something so ancient and powerful? _Apage!"_

A powerful force lifted the trio up, and expelled them from the inner circle, slamming them all against the backwall of the terminal, before they fell and hit the ground with a very loud thud.

"Venit Bruce Wayne!" Genesis commanded, as a magical pull began to compel Batman to the gate.

" _Tcetorp Ecurb Enyaw!_ " Zatanna countered. Once more, Batman dropped, free of magical control. Batman growled, the magical tug of war was starting to piss him off.

"I tire of these games. We're running out of time. Bring me the body!" Genesis commanded.

"Genesis, you don't know what you're doing!" Batman growled.

"You're dealing with forces you can't possibly understand!" Zatanna yelled. "Geez, that sounded cliche…" She added, under bated breath.

"Wayne, just be thankful you're little sorceress is there to keep you from being sacrificed. We'll have to make due without your blood. _Claustra_!"

A magical force field appeared before the heroes, keeping them confined to the edge of the circle. "Zatanna, can you break it down?" Batgirl asked, after pressing against the perimeter of the barrier and being repelled back.

"He's smart. He put us on one of the seal's fault lines...it's going to be very difficult to break." Zatanna said.

"Get started, we don't have a lot of time." Batman stated, watching on as Perry Santiago's casket was brought before the gate.

Zatanna outstretched her hands and began chanting furiously, trying to compel the barrier down.

"I need a sacrifice to accompany this body of flesh." Genesis said to his cultists. "I know Bruce Wayne was supposed to be...but this now proves impossible. Will anyone give themselves to the cause?"

"I will, Progenitor." One of the female cultists said, stepping forward and bowing on her knee before him.

"Thank you my dear," He said, kissing her on the head. "May much prosperity come to your family, through your sacrifice!"

"The barrier extends through the top, too." Batgirl groaned, as her grappling hook fell to the ground, defeated.

"Zatanna!" Batman growled. But she continued her chanting, shooting him a dirty look.

"She's working as fast as she can, but there has to be another way." Batgirl said.

"No, we're too late." Batman said, as the female cultist stepped into the gate. She lifted her knife, and without any hesitation, slit her own throat, the blood spilling over the open casket.

" _Lacigam seigrene nrut ot eci_!" Finally after trying every spell or wording she could think of, their barrier froze into a sheet of ice. "Now Batman!"

Batman shoulder checked the barrier, busting free and rolling back into the terminal.

But the gate was flashing a full spectrum of colors. The rumbling began again, and debris started falling from the top of the foundation. It sounded as if electricity was bouncing through the air, crackling and popping.

"This is bad." Zatanna murmured.

"You think?" Batgirl retorted, sarcastically.

From the casket, Perry Santiago's body rose, but something was wrong, everyone could tell. Even Genesis stopped laughing. Flesh began returning to his body, but that flesh began bubbling...as if it was boiling. The body began shrieking in pain, as this red aura began overtaking him, and his body started transforming.

His eyes, once lifeless, where turned jet black. The aura completely enveloped him, transforming his flesh into pure, condensed energy, and he grew to what had to be nine feet tall.

"Perry!" Genesis cried. "Perry, its me. Come back to me!" He put his hand on Perry's arm. With inhuman speed, the creature that was once Perry's body grabbed Genesis by his throat, and lifted him feet in the air.

Batman grabbed several batarangs and threw them at the creature's arm, but the aura, acting like a shield, extended like an arm and blocked the batarangs, causing them to partially melt and drop to the floor.

"Perry…" Genesis whispered. _Snap_. With one arm, the creature snapped Genesis' neck, and dropped him to the floor, where he lay dead. Cultists began screaming, and running for their lives. Batman grimaced.

"Uh, any ideas?" Batgirl asked.

"Zatanna, how do we defeat this thing?" Batman asked.

Zatanna was at a loss of words. "I- I'm not sure. We're now looking at a being of...energy. Demonic energy. How did Genesis not know this was going to happen?"

"He believed what he wanted to believe...like his followers."

"Well, we better come up with something quick, because he's looking right at us!" Batgirl yelled, crouching down and getting ready to bolt. The creature barrelled toward them, and they all took off in separate directions.

Batman shot the creature with his taser, but like the batarangs, an aura extended from his body and shielded him, melting the wires before they even touched the creature.

The creature let out an ear-splitting shriek and leapt up, crashing through the ceiling and propelling himself to the surface.

"If it's demonic energy...we need a seal. I can conjure one...but it 's going to take some time. Can you both keep him busy?" Zatanna asked.

"How?" Batgirl asked incredulously.

"He's not invulnerable, we just have to to avoid those arm-like manifestations of his." Batman said.

"He should be correct." Zatanna agreed.

"Should be?" Batgirl chuckled.

"Come on, we have to keep this...thing...from hurting anyone." Batman growled, launching his grappling hook to follow the creature to the surface.

Batgirl followed suit, and Zatanna cast a spell to allow her to levitate.

In the streets, it was pandemonium. Citizens were running and screaming, while he was tossing cars and exploding fire hydrants.

"First things first, we need to find a way to fight this thing." Batgirl said.

"Zatanna, get to work. Tell us when you're ready, and we'll lure the creature to you," Batman said. "Batgirl, come with me. One of us will distract him while the other attacks."

"Right." Batgirl nodded.

" _Tcetorp Lrigtab dna Namtab morf snrub_!" Zatanna chanted, followed by a cold, tingling sensation that washed over Batman. "That'll protect you from most burn damage, if he happens to strike you with those...things."

"Most?" Batgirl asked, incredulously. The joke was getting old.

"Come on!" Batman growled, charging at the creature.

Batman threw several batarangs, while simultaneously grappling to a building, allowing him to swing at the creature in an arch. One "arm" blocked the batarangs, but as Batman approached, a second manifested and swatted him away. And while Zatanna's enchantment protected him from the heat of the energy, it didn't protect him from the force, which sent him flying into a nearby car.

Batgirl seized the opportunity however, and attacked the creature from behind, leaping off a building and striking the creature in the back of the neck with a powerful kick. The creature stumbled forward, the attack connected, but he retaliated with another swat of his "arm," sending her flying as well.

Batman dug himself out of the car's windshield and threw a supersonic grenade at the creature's feet. The grenade detonated, letting out an intense frequency that caused the creature to scream in pain, and shattered every window in the nearby proximity. Batman charged forward while he was stunned, and kicked out the creature's knee and delivering an electrified uppercut to his lowered chin with his electric pair of brass knuckles. Before the creature could retaliate, he jumped back and grappled to a safe distance.

Suddenly, several cop cars began zooming into the town square, the cops getting out of their vehicles and firing shots at the monster, but it was having no effect.

"What the hell is going on?" Gordon yelled, running at Batman with his gun drawn.

"Jim, have your men create a perimeter...and get these people out of here!"

"What is that thing?" Gordon asked.

"Genesis' abomination. I have someone working on a way to get rid of it, but we need these people out of here. You leave the creature to me."

"You better know what you're doing," Gordon growled. "But you're right, the people are our number one priority." Gordon ran off, and started barking orders at his men.

Batgirl was back up, and dancing around the creature, throwing a mix of smoke pellets and batarangs at the creature.

"Sir, how can I help?" Alfred asked, through the comm-link.

"Send the Batwing. Gordon's clearing the area and creating a perimeter as we speak. And then-"

"Fireworks." Alfred finished. "I'll pilot the Batwing from here. You worry about it from the ground."

The creature picked up a car and threw it at Batgirl, who grappled away to the top of another building. They met eyes and Batman nodded his head. It was time to coordinate their strikes.

Batgirl grappled in close, and the creature dove at her. Batman took this opportunity to run in, and throw several plastique explosives at the creatures feet, causing him to lose balance. Batgirl joined Batman and he bent down, locking his hands and holding them low for her foot. Once she stepped on, he launched her up, and with electric brass knuckles of her own, delivered a powerful right hook.

The combined assault was more than the creature could handle, who came down with a crash. The manifestations seemed to have minds of their own however, and grabbed a hold of both of them, slamming them into the ground, before tossing them in opposite directions of the square.

Batman tumbled, striking a tree with such force, he saw stars. He also could feel where the manifestation's touch had started to burn through Zatanna's enchantment. Batman shakily stood up, clutching his arm in pain, as it had connected with the tree before the rest of him. Batgirl was thrown against the side of a building, and hadn't stood back up yet.

Batman looked over to the top of the clocktower, where Zatanna stood chanting. Green energy was spinning around her, symbols forming from within them, but Batman could tell she wasn't ready yet.

The creature began standing up, which meant Batman couldn't wait for Batgirl to recover...he had to strike now. Batman attempted to grapple above the creature, but the creature cut the line with one of his "arms" and as Batman fell, delivered a massive punch to his gut. With the strike, he felt a rib or two break. But Batman had no choice but to shake off the pain, and broke into a roll, diving behind the creature and running around the corner of a building to get away.

"Penny-one, where are we on the missile?"

"Batwing is armed and on standby sir, but not everyone has been evacuated from the area yet. I would estimate you need 5 more minutes."

Batgirl was standing back up, but she had been hit hard...and was in terrible shape. Batman could tell by the way she was swaying and clutching her chest.

"ARRGGGHHH!" The creature sent his "arm" swinging through the building Batman was hiding behind, cutting through it like a knife. As the building began to collapse, Batman quickly grabbed his grappling gun to get away, but as the escaped the creature swung with the second manifestation, striking Batman's right leg. Pain shot through his body as he felt the strike sear his leg. He was sent to the ground in agony.

Coughing, he threw a flashbang at the creature's face. He blocked it with the arm of energy, but the grenade still exploded, dazing the creature and buying Batman enough time to get up and hastily limp over to Batgirl, though every step with his right leg sent pain shooting through his body. He activated a button on his utility belt, and reached out to Batgirl.

"Are you alright?" He panted.

"What about you? That looks nasty." Batgirl mumbled, pointed at his leg. His suit covering the area had been burned off, so his leg and the burn were exposed.

"We need to get the creature over to Zatanna, so when the Batwing strikes it with the missile, Zatanna can be on standby with her spell."

"Okay." Batgirl said unsteadily. "What's the plan? Neither of us are in a condition to run."

Then, the sound of an engine in the background began to grow louder and louder.

"Is that…?" Batgirl asked.

"Yep." Batman answered. Moments ago he had called the batmobile via his utility belt from its nearby location.

The vehicle burst through one of Gordon's barricades, causing police to jump out of the way, and screeched to a halt in front of the two moments later.

"Head to the perimeter, as quickly as you can." Batman ordered, getting into the driver's seat as quickly as his body let him.

"But-" Batgirl began to protest.

"Trust me." Batman said, closing the top off the car and taking off, charging right at the creature.

It roared and lifted its "arm" to slam down on the batmobile, but Batman took a hard swerve and drove in the opposite direction toward the clock tower. As he had hoped, the creature began pursuing the vehicle.

"Alfred, now!"

"But sir, you're in the blast radius."

"I'm in the batmobile, I'll be fine!"

"But sir!"  
"NOW!"

Seconds later, a missile came crashing down and exploded on the creature, creating such an impact that it caught the batmobile, and sent it flying. The batmobile hit the earth and rolled several times, crashing into the side of the clocktower.

All sorts of sensors and lights were going off inside the batmobile, whirring, chirping and hissing. If it weren't for the seat that auto-stabilized and corrected during impacts, Batman wouldn't be conscious right now. It didn't completely protect him from injury, but it did protect him from most of it.

"Sir, are you alright?" Came Alfred's voice.

The car was on its side, but the canopy popped itself off, an emergency feature, and Batman crawled out, having trouble seeing straight and with his whole body screaming in pain.

"Sir?"

"Z-Zat..anna…" Batman groaned, looking up at the sorceress. She was shocked by the impact, but otherwise okay. In fact, she looked more worried for Batman than anything. However, she gave Batman a silent nod. The seal was ready.

As for the creature, the energy that had been condensed into human form was so shook by the blast, that it was having trouble maintaining its form. Several "arms" shot up and squirmed in the direction of the sky, as the body struggled to rebuild itself. Now was the time for the seal.

Zatanna summoned a top hat from thin air, and threw it in the direction of the creature. " _Erutaerc, eb enog ot eht noisnemid morf hcihw uoy emac_!" The green seal around her began spinning wildly, before launching itself at the creature, and containing the creature within its orb. The orb began shrinking and closing, as the creature shrieked and tried to escape to no avail. Then, as if it were one of her magic tricks, the orb contained itself to the size of a tennis ball, and disappeared inside her hat.

Zatanna collapsed to her knees with a sigh of relief, completely exhausted.

"Bruce, can you hear me?" Came Alfred's voice again.

"Yes Alfred… I'm fine…" Batman answered, pushing himself up, and sitting against the batmobile. "The creature...is gone…"

Zatanna teleported down and collapsed next to Bruce. She was drenched in sweat and panting heavily, but she was chuckling in glee. "So...I guess I can add... exorcist to my resume." She joked.

"Are you both alright?" Gordon asked, running over to the two, with Batgirl limping behind him.

"You should be able to find the remaining cultists below, in the abandoned subway terminal. I doubt many of them got too far." Batman told Gordon, struggling to stand up.

"And Genesis?" Gordon asked.

"Dead." Batman answered. "Killed by…" And he nodded his head in the hat's direction.

"What happened down there?" Gordon asked wondrously.

The batwing started a slow descent down nearby, and Batman began stumbling over to it.

"I'll fill you in later." Batman answered.

"Can I grab a lift?" Batgirl asked, limping to catch up with Batman.

"Once I get my breath, I'll heal you two up." Zatanna said, catching up to the pair.

"So? Still think you could have handled this by yourself?" Batgirl teased.

"You ladies...did well tonight. Good work." Batman praised.

Batgirl and Zatanna looked at each other, sharing glances of amazement by his statement.

"Did you hit your head, Bruce?" Batgirl chuckled.

"Yeah, you can't be feeling well. That was a compliment!" Zatanna quipped.

"Almost sounded like a thank you!"

"Oh, you thought so too?"

"Tell Alfred to get you to a hospital, stat!"

And the girls laughed and teased like that all the way into the batwing.

 **Author's Note: Only one chapter left! Thanks so much for following along this far. Let me know what you think of the revelation behind Genesis, and the climatic fight!**


	8. Moving Forward

It took a couple days, but eventually Gordon rounded up the rest of Genesis' cultists. In the days that followed, funerals were held for those who were murdered, and repairs began almost immediately at Gotham Square. Zatanna was able to treat some of the more serious injuries they sustained before she left for her next show in Central City, but Batman was still sore for the next week. And unfortunately, magic wasn't able to heal everything.

"You learned something through that Genesis mess, didn't you?" Alfred asked, as the two were cleaning up the parlor in Wayne Manor.

Bruce was restacking books that had fallen from the bookshelf, when he picked up a picture frame that had fallen as well. The glass was shattered, but the photo inside was of him and a young Dick Grayson, taken on Dick's first day of Gotham Academy.

"I suppose I have," Bruce answered, staring at the photo. "Maybe I can't do things on my own anymore."

"I think you're missing the point." Alfred said. "These last few months, you've been trying to prove to yourself that you don't need help...that you never needed Robin. But I hope you realize now that, when you _do_ need it, there is no shame in asking for help...that you have allies that will still be there for you when you need them to be."

Alfred put a consoling hand on Bruce's shoulder, and gently grabbed the photo from his hand. "And I also hope you realize that includes Master Richard...even if he's flown the nest. You're a father to him Bruce, and he just wants to know that you'll be there for him, too."

Later that night, Batman was in the cave, updating some case files after Alfred had gone to bed. He pulled out his phone and hovered his finger over Dick's contact info. After several moments of mulling it over in his head, he pressed call.

 _Ring._

 _Ring._

 _Ring._

 _Ring._

"Hey…" Dick answered quietly, picking up the phone.

"Am I calling at a bad time?"

Dick looked over at Barbara, who was asleep next to him, and quietly got out of bed and stepped into the hallway outside his bedroom. "No, no. What's up?"

It was awkward...for both of them.

"I just...how are you Dick?"

Dick chuckled. "What's going on Bruce, are you alright?"

Bruce chuckled too. "I just want to make sure you're doing okay. You don't...need anything?"

"I'm doing great, real great."

"That's...good to hear." Bruce lost his nerve. "Anyway Dick, it's late. I should let you go."

"W-well, hey," Dick interrupted. "Barb's got this friend's wedding in Gotham next weekend, so I'll be in town. Maybe we can…?"

"Yeah Dick, I'd like that." Bruce answered.

"Awesome, yeah. Well, cool. I'll talk to you soon, Bruce."

"Goodnight, Dick."

Dick had a goofy smile on his face, as he crawled back in bed. He didn't expect Bruce to be the first one to reach out. It was...refreshing.

"Who was that?" Barbara asked, half asleep.

"Trust me babe," Dick answered, wrapping his arm around her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

The next morning, Bruce felt the best he had in months. There was something about the conversation with Dick that lifted so much weight off his chest. Even Alfred noticed, as Bruce was working on the batmobile.

"You seem rather...chipper this morning. There's a...vibrancy to you."

"I guess you made a really good omelet." Bruce responded, crawling under the car. He could never admit to Alfred that he made the call to Dick. Bruce perfectly imagine the "I-told-you-so" look that would've been on his face.

But while the amends he had started to make with Dick did lift his spirits, his heart still ached. He hadn't seen or heard from Linda since they broke up. And while he didn't have the courage to go talk to her, he thought about her all the time. And as if it were some divine providence, as he was thinking about her that moment, his phone started ringing.

He rolled out from under his batmobile, and looked at his phone. It was Leslie Thompkins, of all people.

"Hey Leslie, how are you?" Bruce answered the phone.

"I should be asking you that, dear. I walk by Gotham Square every day."

"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking."

"When's the last time you've come and visited me at the clinic?"

"You know why I haven't." ...Linda...

"Pish-posh," Leslie retorted. "Now, you owe this old lady a visit. And if you want to come in your batsuit so she doesn't recognize you, so be it. But I want to see you Bruce!"

"Alright Leslie." Bruce relented. She was, after all, a mother-figure, and he had great respect for her. "I'll come by later this afternoon."

"Good, I'll see you then." She said happily, before hanging up.

"What was that about?" Alfred asked.

"Not sure. But something tells me Leslie is up to something." Bruce responded.

He continued to work in the cave until late in the afternoon, where he felt like he couldn't put off his visit to the Park Row Clinic any longer.

"Alfred, I'm going to stop by Leslie's before I go out for the night." Bruce said, making his way over to the batsuit.

"So you will be taking the batmobile, sir?"

"Yeah, of course." Bruce answered, getting dressed.

"But it isn't fully repaired." Alfred protested. "Its cloaking mechanism isn't operational yet, and for heaven's sake, the hubcaps aren't even installed! Not to mention several other minor things."

"It'll be fine Alfred, the alarm is functional, and I'll be close by _if_ someone was stupid enough to tamper with the batmobile."

"Very well, sir."

Whenever Batman visited Park Row, he always made it a point to visit the place his parents were murdered. So parking his car in Crime Alley, he spent several minutes meditating over their memorial. Even though the area held awful memories for him, and it was morbid, he felt a strong connection to his parents whenever he was at their place of death. Maybe it was because this was the last place he saw them alive, or maybe it was because Bruce Wayne actually died here too.

He knelt down and dropped a couple roses, before turning out of the alley, and walking to the nearby clinic. Leslie was standing outside, waiting for him, and embraced him in a hug.

"Br- I mean Batman- it's so good to see you." Leslie was a short, elderly woman, who barely came to his chest. Her gray hair was kept in a messy bun, and large glasses rested on her nose. She wore a doctor's coat, with a simple graphic tee and pair of jeans underneath.

"It's great to see you too, Leslie." Batman answered, as they walked in together. Batman had been dreading this moment, just holding his breath until he had to see Linda again. And sure enough, there she was at the front, filling out some paperwork on a clipboard.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw her, it was almost painful. He tried to avoid looking at her as he walked by, but instead stared down at his feet. He felt like a child.

"Batman?" She stopped him as he walked by, and his heart began pounding. "I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my dad and I. Really, I owe you so much."

Her smile. Her gorgeous smile.

"How is he? Your father?" Batman asked awkwardly.

"He's doing great. He's having to adjust to life with a prosthetic, but thanks to you, at least he has a life to adjust to."

"I'm glad to hear he's doing well." Batman said.

"Well, we have some important things to discuss in the back, we should get going." Leslie said, tugging on his cape and pulling them forward.

"Geez…" She whispered once they were out of earshot. "I wonder if _she_ felt the tension there.."

Once they were in her office, Leslie smiled pleasantly and sat behind her desk.

"So, how are you?" Leslie asked. "We're in a closed office, you can take off your mask."

"Leslie…"

"Take it off, and let me see your face!" Leslie demanded.

Batman sighed. "I'm doing just fine, Leslie." Batman finally answered, as he reluctantly removed his cowl.

"This whole...Genesis debacle...you weren't injured too terribly? Nothing I need to take a look at?"

"Nope, I was healed...unconventionally this round."

"Good to hear. But how _are_ you Bruce?"

"I don't know what you want me to say Leslie, I'm doing just fine."

"I don't buy that."

Bruce just nodded, and for several moments didn't say anything, until finally he let out a long sigh.

"Honestly? Lonely, I guess. I think Dick and I have started on a positive path again, and Alfred's still there for me, but… I don't know. I never felt this way before. Isolation has never been a fear of mine...for the longest time, it was a necessity...in some ways, it still is. But…"

"You fell in love with Linda."

"And lost her."

"She just wants what every woman wants...a man that will devote himself 100% to her." Leslie laughed. "You didn't lose her, Bruce. You just have to prove to her that she's an important part of your life. And if you feel that way, then why should it be so hard?"

"You know better than anyone Leslie, my life is complicated."

"So tell _her_ that. And I mean, really tell her that."

"Alfred thinks I should tell her, too."

"You should listen to your elders, dear." Leslie chuckled.

"It's just, so very few people know about...the real me. The only people I've told are-"

"People you really care about. And if you really care about Linda, it should be no different."

Maybe Leslie was right, and so was Alfred. He had to stop being selfish. If she was going to be a part of his life, then she needed to be a part of it, as Alfred had said.

"Alright Leslie, I'll tell her." Batman said, standing up and putting his mask back on.

"Good, you can tell her right now." Leslie said, hopping up and running to her door

"What? Leslie, that's not what I-"

"Linda, will you come back here, dear?"

"Leslie!" Bruce growled.

"Yes?" Linda asked, poking her head in.

"Come in here, dear." Leslie said, motioning her in. Linda was puzzled, but did as Leslie asked and stepped inside. "Now I have to check on a patient, but I'll be right back. Hang on a second." Leslie then looked at Bruce and winked, before leaving the office and closing the door.

The two of them stood in awkward silence for several moments, but Bruce eventually gathered the nerve to speak.

"Linda, there's something you should know."

"O-okay?" Linda said, hesitantly.

Batman disengaged his cowl and slowly pulled his mask off. He looked up at her and their eyes met.

"Bruce?!" At first, Linda's eyes grew wide with surprise, but then she started laughing. She didn't believe him. "Bruce, what is this? Is this a joke?"

But Bruce wasn't laughing, but instead was looking at her with a complete seriousness.

The smile left her face. "Oh my God...you're serious." She whispered.

"Linda… I love you. And I need you to know that I want to share my life with you...all of it."

Linda was speechless, with several broken questions sputtering from her mouth. "But..? How...? The…? What..? I'm sorry Bruce, this is too much to take it in. I've… I've got to go."

"Linda, wait!"

She whirled around and threw open the door, before running down the hall. "I'm sorry Dr. Thompkins, I've got to go." She told the stunned doctor before grabbing her coat from the coat rack and exiting the clinic.

Bruce put his mask back on and walked out into the hall, feeling absolutely devastated.

"It's okay dear, she'll come around. It's just a lot to process." Leslie said, patting him on the back gently.

"That was foolish of me." Batman said through gritted teeth.

"No, dear! It was the right thing to do."

"Here Leslie, it was nice visiting." He unfolded a check from his belt and handed it to her. He had written it to the Park Row Clinic for $100,000. It wasn't the first time he had made a large donation to the clinic, but it had been a while. And it was long overdue.

"Bruce, thank you so much!" Leslie exclaimed, staring at the check. She looked up from the check however, and he was gone.

The air was bitter, and cold. Snow covered the ground and the wind cut through even his suit. As he stood on top of the Park Row Clinic reflecting on things, he tried to push Linda from his mind. And whether Linda was out of his life for good or not, there were still people in his life he could count on...allies he could trust. He had to admit, he couldn't do this alone anymore. Alfred, Barbara and Jim were all there. And though he would never _ask_ for their help, at least he knew he could depend on them when the time came. And if he could learn to accept their help, maybe he could learn to accept the help of others, too.

"Sir, there seems to be a problem." Came Alfred's voice from the comm-link, interrupting his thoughts. The sun was just setting, and Batman hadn't even begun his nightly patrol. Gotham was never quiet for long.

"What is it?"

"The silent alarm for your Batmobile was just triggered. I hate to say I told you so, but I'd hurry to investigate."

It was probably just a cat, or perhaps one of Gotham's many homeless bumping into it on accident. Hopefully that was the case, because Alfred definitely did not hate saying I told you so. Regardless, he would check it out.

It only took a few moments for him to return to the car, dropping down beside it silently. Immediately he was alarmed, because it was missing a front tire. This is what he got for not replacing the hubcaps before he went out!

He could hear the cranking of a tire iron on the other side of the car, out of his sight. The criminal stealing his tires was still in the act! Batman clenched his fists, though he'd try the subtle approach first.

"Ahem." He coughed. A head popped up from behind the car, the head of a child. Black, messy hair, and dirt all over his face, he had the look of well...a criminal caught in the act. Batman knew...the boy was immediately terrified.

"Oh crap." The boy muttered.

"Where are my tires?" Batman asked, through gritted teeth. The boy dropped the tire iron and bolted away, lunging for a nearby ladder, and scaling the building with pretty impressive athleticism.

"Well, this should be fun." Batman muttered to himself. Even after all this time, Gotham still surprised him.

 **Author's Note: Well, it took longer than it should have, but it's done! Please, please please tell me what you thought! It was my first crack at FanFic, so hopefully it was up to par! I have a lot more time on my hands now that I've graduated, and would love to do more of these if the feedback warrants it! I love writing just for my own creativity, but the amount of research and time that went into this story makes feedback all the sweeter.**

 **But a couple questions: Would you like to see a continuation on this story, following an early Jason Todd, or should I choose another place in the timeline? As for a villain, should I invent another, or stick with the classic rogues? And if so, should I choose Mr. Freeze or Mad Hatter (it's a toss up!)? Anyway, thank you in advance for any and all feedback! I look forward to starting Batman's next adventure.**


End file.
